UC-NRLF 


*»    43 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


The  Way  to  Study  Birds 


. 


See  page  22 


HOUSE  WREN 


The 
Way  to  Study  Birds 


By 
John  Dryden  Kuser 


With  9  Illustrations  in  Color 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and  London 

Gbe    Iknicherbocfter    pteee 


COPYRIGHT,  1917 

BY 

JOHN    DRYDEN    KUSER 


Ube  fmicherbocfcer  press,  flew  IDorfc 


K-  CyL-  f»  7.7 

,r 


I  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATE  THIS  VOLUME 

TO  MY 
MOTHER  AND  FATHER 

BY   WHOSE    UNIQUE   APPRECIATION   OF    NATURE   AND    KEEN 
REALIZATION  OF    THE    VALUE    OF   SCIENCE    I    HAVE 
BEEN   ABLE   TO  FEEL    A    CONSTANT    INSPIRA- 
TION  IN   ORNITHOLOGY 


PREFACE 

PALEONTOLOGISTS  tell  us  that  thousands  of 
years  ago  man  was  an  uncultured  and  unreason- 
ing beast ;  they  tell  us  that  the  birds  of  our  day 
have,  as  their  ancestors,  creatures  of  reptilian 
form.  But  we  need  not  delve  so  far  into  the 
past.  Even  within  written  history,  botany, 
mammalogy  and  the  other  natural  sciences  all 
show  the  evolutionary  trend  from  the  most 
simple  to  the  most  highly  developed.  This, 
then,  we  may  take  as  a  law  of  nature.  Again,  not 
many  years  ago,  when  a  man  wished  to  set  out 
upon  a  journey,  he  often  had  the  utmost  difficulty 
in  ascertaining  exact  knowledge  of  the  country 
thru  which  he  must  pass,  and  he  underwent 
many  discomforts  and  endured  constant  delays 
in  travel.  Today,  thru  perfection  of  system, 
because  of  the  advantages  of  newspapers,  tele- 
graphs and  railroads,  such  an  undertaking  is  of 
slight  moment.  Why?  Because  human  know- 
ledge in  this  and  in  many  other  directions  has 
been  carefully  collected,  sorted  and  catalogued, 
and  we  know  just  where  to  look  for  exact 
information. 

Yet  have  not  many  of  those  authors  who 
attempt  to  instill  ornithological  knowledge  into 
the  minds  of  laymen  lost  sight  of  these  two  basic 


PREFACE 

ideas  in  their  works?  For  the  beginner  to  learn 
avian  identification  is  at  present  hopelessly 
complicated  and  unnecessarily  discouraging,  be- 
cause of  the  requirement  to  wade,  ignorantly, 
thru  a  heterogeneous  mass  of  terms  and  descrip- 
tions, or  to  go  bird-hunting  without  the  remotest 
idea  of  what  he  may  expect  to  find  most  common 
or  most  easily  identifiable  in  the  special  locality 
in  which  he  searches. 

This,  then,  is  my  aim:  to  write  a  few  words 
which  I  hope  may  be  of  use  both  to  him  who 
wishes  to  know  and  appreciate  thru  knowledge  a 
few  of  our  abundant  species  and  to  him  who 
wishes  to  go  thru  my  book  and  to  advance,  not 
to  skeletal  or  highly  scientific  work  but  to  a  good 
acquaintance  with  all  the  birds  of  our  locality 
and  their  habits. 

Necessarily,  this  type  of  book  is  not,  by  its 
very  nature,  equally  adaptable  to  all  localities; 
and  yet,  altho  I  have  written  it  with  New  York 
City  as  a  center  and  to  be  used  chiefly  for 
neighboring  regions,  in  many  cases  it  will  suffice, 
at  least  partly,  for  other  localities.  This  book 
is  not  a  reference  work  but  is  intended  to  be 
followed  more  as  a  course  than  as  a  text-book. 

There  are  several  books  in  addition  to  the 
present  volume  which  it  would  be  well  to  have 
at  the  start,  among  them  one  containing  good 
colored  plates  of  our  common  birds.  If  you 
have  a  book  of  this  type  already,  so  much  the 
better.  If  not,  I  can  suggest  no  work  better 
than  Reed's  Birds  East  of  the  Rockies  (pocket 
edition).  For  information  aural  rather  than 
vi 


PREFACE 

optical  much  can  be  gained  from  F.  Schuyler 
Mathews'  Field  Book  of  Wild  Birds  and  Their 
Music. 

J.  D.  K. 

BERNARDSVILLE,  N.  J. 
March  27, 


vii 


CONTENTS 
PART  I.     PREREQUISITES 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I. — METHOD  OF  STUDY  i 

II. — TWELVE  ABUNDANT  PERMANENT 

RESIDENTS     ....         3 

III. — NOTE-KEEPING  ...       12 

IV. — How  TO  USE  A  KEY  AND  LEARN 

FIVE  SONGS  .         .         .         .15 

PART  II.    SUMMER 

V. — THE  FIFTEEN   MOST  ABUNDANT 

SUMMER  RESIDENTS          .         .17 

VI. — THE  FIFTEEN  NEXT  IN  ABUNDANCE     27 
VII.— NESTS 37 

PART  III.     FALL  AND  SPRING 
VIII. — TRANSIENTS       .         .         .         .40 
IX. — MIGRATION  DATA      .  .      45 

PART  IV.     WINTER 
X. — WINTER  RESIDENTS   ...       48 

XI. — WINTER  FEEDING      ...       54 
ix 


CONTENTS 

PART  V.    SUPPLEMENTARY  DATA 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

XII. — BOOKS,       PUBLICATIONS,        AND 

SOCIETIES       ....       56 

XIII. — PROTECTION,  PRESERVATION,  AND 

PROPAGATION          ...      60 

APPENDIX 

A.  KEY 63 

B.  GLOSSARY 85 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

HOUSE  WREN        .         .         .    Frontispiece 
SONG  SPARROW      .  .         .         .        4 

STARLING 6 

CHIPPING  SPARROW        .         .         .         .18 

PHCEBE          ......       20 

FLICKER         ......       22 

WOOD  THRUSH      .....       24 

BOBOLINK     ......       28 

TOWHEE  .  .         .         -30 


The  Way  to  Study  Birds 


PART  ONE:    PREREQUISITES 
CHAPTER  I 

METHOD   OF    STUDY 

The  arrangement  of  the  following  pages  is 
founded  upon  the  principle  of  any  elementary 
book.  The  simplest  terms  are  used  and  only 
enough  description  is  given  for  actual  identifica- 
tion. Starting  with  the  data  about  our  most 
abundant  bird,  information  is  imparted  in  turn 
about  each  species,  the  sequence  being  governed 
by  the  abundance  of  the  species  and  hence  the 
probable  frequency  of  our  encountering  it;  the 
unique  character  of  its  form  or  markings  and 
the  consequent  likelihood  of  its  being  identified 
by  us;  and  lastly  by  a  consideration  of  seasonal 
variation.  In  this  way  the  reader  is  afforded 
not  only  the  means  of  identifying  the  fifty 
species  described  in  this  volume,  but  is  taught 
the  method  of  identifying  those  not  contained 
herein. 

The  book  is  divided  into  five  parts.  Part  i 
i 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

takes  up  the  data  of  a  few  permanent  residents, 
the  use  of  a  bird  key,  and  a  few  songs.  Part  2 
is  devoted  to  summer  birds,  Part  3  to  tran- 
sients (i.  e.,  those  species  which  neither  breed 
nor  winter  in  our  locality,  but  stop  in  the  fall 
and  spring  en  route  from  their  summer  to  their 
winter  homes),  and  Part  4  describes  the  winter 
residents.  One  must  not  forget  that  the  sum- 
mer part  is  applicable  to  most  of  the  spring  and 
fall,  as  the  majority  of  our  birds  arrive  by  the 
first  week  in  May  and  do  not  leave  until  well 
into  September.  This  is  also  true  to  a  lesser 
extent  of  the  winter  residents. 

Each  part  is  arranged  with  reference  to  the 
abundance  of  a  species,  so  that  if  all  the  perma- 
nent residents  are  not  readily  found,  as  may  be 
the  case,  it  is  then  better  to  turn  to  the  appro- 
priate season  before  completing  Part  i .  With  this 
single  exception  sequence  is  of  great  importance, 
for  each  part  of  the  work  is  based  upon  what 
precedes.  If  you  are  not  a  real  beginner  in 
ornithology  and  therefore  know  the  first  part, 
read  thru  until  you  reach  the  limit  of  your  pres- 
ent knowledge,  at  which  point  proceed  to  find 
the  bird  with  which  you  are  unfamiliar  and 
continue  thus  with  the  succeeding  species. 


CHAPTER  II 

TWELVE   ABUNDANT    PERMANENT    RESIDENTS 

Below  are  specified  twelve  common  species 
which  are  with  us  thruout  the  year  and  of  which 
you  should  endeavor  to  find  and  identify  at  least 
five  before  turning  to  the  particular  season  you 
happen  to  require.  Do  not  read  over  this 
chapter  at  one  time.  After  perusing  each  bird's 
description,  etc.,  find  its  picture  in  Reed's  or 
some  other  book  before  searching  for  it  in  life, 
and  find  each  bird  in  life  before  proceeding  to  the 
next.  Do  this  thruout  the  book  for  every  species. 
If  possible  take  a  field  or  opera  glass  when  you 
are  looking  for  birds,  and  above  all  things  keep 
notes  of  what  you  see. 

i.    ENGLISH  SPARROW 

Haunts:  City  streets  and  around  buildings, 
particularly  dwellings  and  farms.  In  winter 
found  in  flocks,  searching  for  food  in  almost 
any  locality. 

Description:  Male:  brownish-gray  above, 
with  black  and  chestnut  markings.  Under 
parts  white,  with  a  black  throat  and  face. 
Whitish  wing-bars. 

Female:    brown    above.     Under    parts    gray 
without  streaks  or  bars. 
3 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Size  and  Shape :  Length  6.3  inches.  Thickly 
built  and  with  a  short,  thick  bill. 

Call:  A  harsh  chirp  and  numerous  other 
rarer  but  no  less  unmusical  calls. 

Seasonal  Abundance :  Equally  abundant 
thruout  the  year. 

Remarks:  The  English  Sparrow  is  a  thoro 
pest,  introduced  from  Europe  in  1850  and  now 
tremendously  abundant  and  prolific.  It  is  in- 
imical to  our  native  species  and  of  comparatively 
little  economic  value.  One  should  attempt  to 
exterminate  the  species  from  his  locality. 


2.    SONG  SPARROW 

Haunts:  Near  the  ground,  usually  in  or 
near  low  bushes. 

Description:  Brownish  above,  gray  beneath; 
the  whole  bird  heavily  streaked  with  dark,  rich 
brown.  Heavily  marked  at  the  center  of  breast 
and  with  conspicuous  ear-marks. 

Field-marks:  Heavy  streaking  and  dot  at 
center  of  breast  and  the  ear-marks. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  6.3  in.,  size  of  Eng- 
lish Sparrow,  but  of  a  more  delicate  appearance. 

Song:  A  pleasing  and  cheery  refrain,  short 
and  sweet,  and,  tho  of  no  high  musical  value,  is 
attractive.  Sings  thruout  the  day,  and  the  song 
is  repeated  after  only  brief  intervals. 

Seasonal  Abundance :  One  of  our  most  com- 
mon winter  species,  tho  less  common  than  in 
summer. 

4 


I 


SONG  SPARROW 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

3.  CROW 

Haunts:  Particularly  deep  woods  and  fields, 
tho  occurs  in  any  environment. 

Description:    Entirely  black. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  19.3  in.  Thickly 
built  and  with  a  short  tail. 

Call:    A  harsh  "caw." 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Common  thruout  the 
year. 

Remarks:  The  Crow  must  not  be  confused 
with  the  Crackle,  a  more  slender  bird,  with  a 
long  tail. 

4.    STARLING 

Haunts:  City  parks  and  the  dwellings  or 
farm  buildings  of  suburbs. 

Description:  Summer:  blackish,  with  a  me- 
tallic appearance  and  spotted  with  cream- 
colored  markings  on  the  upper  parts  and  sides. 
Bill  bright  yellow.  Winter:  same  as  in  sum- 
mer except  that  the  under  parts  are  heavily 
spotted  with  white  and  the  bill  is  black. 

Field-marks:  The  spotted  upper  parts.  In 
summer  also  the  yellow  bill  and  in  winter  the 
spots  on  the  under  parts. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  8.5  in.  Rather 
thickly  built  and  with  a  long  bill. 

Song:  A  squeaking,  kept  up  almost  continu- 
ously, and  at  times  even  musical. 

Seasonal   Abundance:     Lives     alone     while 
breeding  but  congregates  in  large  flocks  during 
the  fall  and  winter  months. 
5 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Remarks:  One  of  the  characteristics  of  this 
bird  is  its  walk.  Most  birds  do  not  walk,  but 
hop,  and  therefore  the  walk  of  this  species  is 
often  a  good  identification  trait.  This  species 
is  European  and  it  is  now  feared  that  in  America 
it  will  become  as  great  a  scourge  as  its  prede- 
cessor, the  Sparrow.  In  1890  the  first  lot, 
consisting  of  sixty  individuals,  was  liberated  in 
New  York  City. 

5.    BLUEBIRD 

Haunts:  Mostly  old  fields,  orchards  and 
upland  meadows,  or,  when  the  land  is  only  semi- 
cultivated,  near  houses.  The  species  may  be 
found  in  almost  any  locality. 

Description:  Deep  sky-blue  above,  with  a 
chestnut  throat,  breast  and  sides  and  a  white 
belly. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  7  in.  Slightly 
longer  and  more  slender  than  an  English  Spar- 
row but  of  the  same  general  size.  Bill  thinner. 

Song:  A  £weet  and  seemingly  ventriloquistic 
"tru-u-lee,"  softly  uttered  and  often  while  on 
the  wing. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Rarer  in  winter  than 
in  summer. 

Remarks:  The  Bluebird  is  far  from  being  a 
bird  which  attracts  your  attention.  He  is 
quiet  and  must  be  sought,  tho  he  gives  an  op- 
portunity for  observance  by  frequently  sitting 
on  the  outermost  branch  of  a  tree.  Bluebirds 
are  not  shy  and  generally  live  near  dwellings. 
They  can  most  easily  be  induced  to  nest  on  the 
6 


STARLING 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

premises  by  the  attraction  of  a  nesting  box,  for 
they  are  one  of  the  few  birds  that  show  a  notice- 
able preference  for  these  rather  than  for  natural 
sites. 

6.     DOWNY  WOODPECKER 

Haunts :  Woods  and  orchards,  as  a  rule,  but 
is  apt  to  be  found  in  any  place. 

Description:  Upper  parts  black,  with  a  wide 
white  stripe  down  the  center  of  the  back,  with 
white  spots  on  wings,  white  outer  tail-feathers 
and  a  white  line  above  and  below  the  eye.  The 
male  has  a  scarlet  patch  on  the  back  of  the  neck 
which  the  female  lacks. 

Field-marks:  White  line  down  the  center  of 
the  back. 

Size  and  Shape :  Length  6.8  inches.  Slightly 
smaller  than  a  Starling.  Tail  short;  feathers 
pointed. 

Call:  A  rattling  and  sharp  call  of  several 
notes,  uttered  rapidly. 

Seasonal  Abundance :  Equally  common  thru- 
out  the  year. 

Remarks:  Being  a  Woodpecker,  we  must 
naturally  expect  to  find  this  bird  climbing  the 
branches  or  trunks  of  trees,  as  he  indeed  gener- 
ally does.  Apple-orchards  are  included  among 
his  favorite  rendezvous. 

7.     MEADOWLARK 

Haunts :     Fields,  dry  meadows  and  lawns. 
Description :    Upper  parts  brownish  with  black 
and  gray   markings.     All  of   the  under   parts 

7 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

with  the  exception  of  the  sides  and  lower  belly 
are  bright  yellow,  adorned  on  the  breast  by  a 
large  black  crescent.  Sides  and  lower  belly 
white,  streaked  with  black. 

Field-marks:  When  on  the  wing,  the  white 
outer  tail  feathers;  when  perched,  the  yellow 
breast  with  black  crescent. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length,  n.8  inches.  Very 
thickly  built  and  with  a  long  bill  and  short  tail. 

Song:  A  clear  and  penetrating  call;  very 
sweet  but  high-pitched. 

Seasonal  Abundance :    Rarer  in  winter. 

Remarks:  This  species'  favorite  post  when 
not  on  the  ground  where  it  nests,  is  the  top  of 
some  tall  tree,  from  which  it  pours  forth  its 
call.  It  is  often  seen  in  flocks. 

8.    BLUE  JAY 

Haunts:  Woods,  or  even  cultivated  land, 
provided  that  it  contains  many  large  trees. 

Description:  Bright  blue  above,  including 
a  raised  crest.  White  markings  on  the  outer 
tail  feathers  and  on  the  wings.  Under  parts 
white,  the  breast  marked  with  a  large  black 
crescent. 

Field-marks :    Crest. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length,  11.7  inches.  Tail 
long. 

Call:  A  screaming  "jay!  jay!"  is  its  most 
common  note. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Equally  common 
thruout  the  year,  tho  seen  more  in  winter  and 
during  migration. 

8 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Remarks:  The  Jay  attracts  attention  when- 
ever he  is  present  by  his  harsh  calling. 

9.    CHICKADEE 

Haunts:  In  summer  usually  confined  to  the 
woods  or  swamps,  but  in  the  fall  and  winter  is 
found  almost  anywhere. 

Description:  Gray  above,  with  white  wing- 
bars;  white  below;  black  crown  and  throat. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length,  5.3  inches.  Thickly 
built. 

Call:  A  dental,  sibilant  " Chick-a-dee-dee- 
dee"  uttered  rapidly,  and  a  high  clear  two- 
syllabled  whistle,  the  second  note  of  which  is 
lower  than  the  first. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Observed  much  less 
in  the  breeding  season  than  at  any  other  period. 

Remarks:  A  most  friendly  bird  and  ap- 
parently always  thoroly  happy,  both  by  its 
actions  and  its  cheery  call  which  it  gives  even 
on  the  coldest  winter  day. 

10.    WHITE-BREASTED  NUTHATCH 

Haunts:  Usually  near  woods,  tho  in  winter 
it  may  appear  anywhere. 

Description:  Blue-gray  above,  with  white 
and  black  in  tail  and  wings.  White  below. 
Crown  of  male  black;  of  female  the  same  color 
as  the  back. 

Size  and  Shape:    Length,  6.1  inches.    About 
the  same  as  the  Song  Sparrow  but  thicker,  and 
with  a  short  square  tail  and  a  long  thin  bill. 
9 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Call:  A  nasal  "Yank-yank,"  and  a  laughing 
but  still  nasal  "Ya-ha-ha-ha-ha"  are  its  most 
frequent  calls. 

Seasonal  Abundance :  Equally  frequent  thru- 
out  the  year. 

Remarks:  The  peculiarity  of  the  Nuthatch 
family  is  that  they  are  our  only  birds  which 
climb,  head  forward,  down  tree-trunks.  This 
will  often  serve  as  a  distinguishing  character- 
istic, for  altho  the  Woodpeckers  go  downward 
they  back  down,  tail  foremost.  The  Brown 
Creeper  and  the  Black  and  White  Warbler  do 
not  go  down  the  trunk  at  all. 

n.    GOLDFINCH 

Haunts :    Fields  and  upland  pastures. 

Description:  Male:  in  summer,  bright  yellow 
with  black  wings,  tail  and  forehead,  and  white 
in  wings  and  tail.  Female:  yellowish-brown 
above,  blackish  on  wings  and  tail.  Under 
parts  yellowish,  white  in  wings  and  tail.  Male 
and  female  in  winter  similar  to  the  female  in 
summer,  but  white  in  wings  and  tail  almost 
disappears. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length,  5  inches.  Thickly 
built  and  with  a  short,  thick  bill. 

Song:  A  rather  sweet  chattering.  Flight 
note  is  a  clearly  accentuated  "  Per-chee-che- 
chee,"  with  the  second  syllable  accented  and 
the  whole  phrase  given  on  the  rising  wave  of  an 
undulating  flight. 

Seasonal  Abundance:    Breeds  very  late. 
10 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Remarks:  The  vast  majority  of  times  you 
will  see  this  bird  will  be  on  the  wing.  When 
once  learned,  you  can  always  detect  its  presence 
by  its  flight  note. 

12.    HAIRY  WOODPECKER 

Haunts :     Similar  to  the  Downy. 

Description:  Identical  with  the  Downy  (No.  6) 
but  larger  and  has  the  white  outer  tail  feathers 
unbarred  while  those  of  the  Downy  are  crossed 
by  black  bars. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length,  9.4  inches.  Shape 
like  Downy. 

Call:     Similar  to  Downy,  but  louder. 

Seasonal  Abundance :  Equally  frequent  thru- 
out  the  year. 


II 


CHAPTER  III 

NOTE-KEEPING 

Various  systems  for  recording  observations 
have  been  devised  since  the  origin  of  ornith- 
ology and  the  types  now  in  use  are  almost  as 
many  as  the  number  of  observers.  Altho 
the  method  is  of  little  importance  as  long  as  it 
is  logically  arranged  for  reference,  yet  I  am  so 
well  satisfied  with  a  system  which  I  adopted 
several  years  ago,  that  I  will  take  the  space 
briefly  to  explain  it.  It  consists  of  the  following : 

(i)  A  recording  sheet  of  the  following  type, 
listing  the  species  seen  on  each  day,  with  a  short 
note  on  the  locality,  weather,  number  and  sex 
of  the  birds  observed,  etc.  A  sheet  is  intended 
to  last  a  week,  so  that,  assuming  we  record  our 
observations  for  every  day  of  the  year,  we  will 
have  but  fifty-two  sheets  for  the  year. 


12 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 


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1 

f 

H 

Weather 

Temperature 

I 

? 

•«* 

cq 

^> 

| 

K.         g 

^         Q 
§        ^ 

13 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

(2)  A  card  index  system,  under  such  headings 
as  nesting,  food,  songs,  etc.,  or  directly  under 
the  headings  of  each  species.  On  these  cards 
any  original  observations  are  recorded. 

These  two  records  comprise  my  whole  system 
of  note-keeping  and  I  am  convinced  that  they 
contain  the  essentials  which  any  amateur  re- 
quires. The  beginner  will  not  need  (2)  for  some 
time,  as  his  primary  object  is  merely  identifica- 
tion and  familiarity  with  the  different  species. 


CHAPTER  IV 

HOW   TO   USE  THE   KEY 

In  the  Appendix  of  this  book  you  will  find 
what  is  termed  a  "Key"  for  the  identification 
of  any  bird  you  may  meet.  You  will  find 
these  keys  for  each  family  of  birds  in  any  good 
bird  book  you  read,  and  it  will  be  of  great  aid 
to  know  how  to  use  them  if  you  do  not  already 
know. 

Take  one  of  the  birds  you  have  already 
learned  as  an  example;  let  us  say  the  Bluebird. 
Turn  to  the  Key  and  you  will  find  at  the  left 
edge  of  the  paper  an  "a."  At  the  same  indenta- 
tion you  will  later  on  observe  an  "aa,"  and  still 
further  an  "aaa."  Read  over  the  title  of  each 
of  these  and  see  which  suits  the  required  bird. 
Certainly  your  present  species,  the  Bluebird, 
is  neither  a  Hawk,  Owl,  Vulture,  or  Eagle  (aa), 
nor  is  it  an  aquatic  bird  (aaa).  Therefore  turn 
to  "a."  Under  "a"  you  will  find  numerous 
divisions  at  the  next  indentation,  as  "b,"  "bb," 
"bbb,"  etc.,  but  realize  that  they  must  all 
be  the  same  letter;  that  is,  do  not  turn  to  "c" 
until  you  have  found  which  one  of  the  "b  "  's  it 
is  under.  By  inspection  it  is  found  that  since 
the  Bluebird  has  a  chestnut  breast  and  a  white 
belly,  it  must  be  found  under  "bbbbb." 
15 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Do  not  stop  at  one  section  until  you  have  read 
over  all,  merely  because  it  seems  to  fit  your 
description.  To  continue  the  plan  we  naturally 
turn  to  find  which  "c"  contains  the  Bluebird's 
description  under  "bbbbb."  It  is  easily  seen 
that  it  is  "ccccccc"  and  then  that  "ddd"  and 
"dddd"  are  the  next  correct  headings,  which 
read  Bluebird  c?  (the  symbol  for  the  male)  and 
Bluebird  9  (the  symbol  for  the  female). 

USE  OF   KEYS  AND  SONGS 

Now  that  you  have  learned  the  use  of  the  Key 
go  out  of  doors  and  either  take  the  Key  with  you, 
or  secure  a  detailed  description  which  you  can 
take  home,  tho  the  former  course  is  preferable 
if  practicable.  In  this  way  observe  and  identify 
five  species  which  you  do  not  already  know. 
Thus  you  will  become  thoroly  acquainted  with 
the  use  of  the  Key  and  will  also  learn  five  new 
species. 

After  this  work  the  best  possible  course  would 
be  to  go  out  and  learn  five  songs  with  which 
you  are  unacquainted.  Go  outdoors,  and  when 
you  hear  the  first  new  song,  hunt  for  its  author, 
and  proceed  thus  until  you  have  learned  five. 
The  Key  may  be  of  great  use  in  identifying 
these  songsters  if  you  do  not  recognize  them 
when  they  are  found. 


16 


PART  TWO:  SUMMER 
CHAPTER  V 

THE    FIFTEEN  MOST   ABUNDANT   SUMMER 
RESIDENTS 

i.    ROBIN 

Haunts:  In  spring  and  summer,  cultivated 
land  and  not  far  from  dwellings.  Particularly 
found  on  lawns  of  parks  or  estates.  In  fall 
becomes  wild  and  retires  to  the  thickets  and 
woods. 

Description:  Dark  gray  above,  with  top  and 
sides  of  head  black,  and  white  spots  on  outer 
tail  feathers.  Throat  and  center  of  belly  whit- 
ish with  dark  streaks.  Rest  of  under  parts 
brick-red.  Female  paler  than  the  male. 

Size  and  Shape:     Length  10  inches. 

Song:  A  soft  and  musical  but  spaced  war- 
bling. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  among  our 
first  birds  and  remains  late  in  the  winter.  Occa- 
sionally winters. 

2.    CHIPPING  SPARROW 

Haunts :    Almost  unlimited,  altho  more  gener- 
ally near  houses  or  in  upland  fields. 
17 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Description:  Streaked  brownish  above,  with 
a  chestnut  crown  and  a  white  line  over  a  black 
line  thru  the  eye.  Under  parts  silky  white. 

Field-marks :  The  black  bill,  chestnut  crown, 
and  silky  white  under  parts. 

Size  and  Shape :    Length  5.4  inches.    Slender. 

Song:    A  rattling  trill,  not  unlike  an  insect. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  April  first 
and  becomes  abundant  immediately. 

Remarks:  An  unobtrusive  but  easily  dis- 
covered bird.  Is  not  shy  and  is  often  found  on 
the  ground  searching  for  food. 

3.    BARN  SWALLOW 

Haunts:  Near  old  farm  buildings,  and  also 
flying  over  low  meadows  in  search  of  food. 

Description:  Upper  parts  steel  blue,  with 
white  markings  on  the  tail.  Forehead  and 
throat  chestnut,  fading  to  whitish  on  the  belly. 
Tail  deeply  forked. 

Field-marks:  Forked  tail  and  chestnut 
throat. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  7  inches.  Very 
slender.  Tail  and  wings  long.  Bill  small. 

Call:    A  rapid  but  broken  twitter. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  last  week 
in  April  and  is  common  all  summer.  - 

Remarks:  The  Barn  Swallow  must  be  care- 
fully distinguished  from  the  Chimney  Swift  or 
other  Swallows.  The  Swift  may  be  distinguished 
in  flight  by  its  shorter  tail  and  more  rapid 
motion  of  the  wings  together,  after  which  it 
18 


CHIPPING   SPARROW 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

will  glide,  while  the  Swallow  prefers  to  inter- 
sperse its  sailing  with  occasional,  slower  and 
usually  single  wing-beats. 

Old  barns  are  the  true  home  of  this  species, 
in  the  rafters  and  near  the  eaves  of  which  it 
nests. 


4.    CHIMNEY  SWIFT 


Haunts:  Flying  about  incessantly  in  the  air, 
from  which  it  only  occasionally  returns  to  its 
home  in  some  chimney. 

Description:  Sooty  brown,  grayer  on  the 
under  parts. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5.4  inches.  Tail 
short,  wings  long. 

Call :    A  rapid,  evenly  uttered  twitter. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  late  in  April 
and  is  common  immediately. 

Remarks:  (For  difference  in  appearance 
from  the  Barn  Swallow  see  "Remarks"  under 
that  species.)  Chimney  Swifts  prior  to  civili- 
zation built  their  nests  in  hollow  trees  but  now 
plaster  them  with  the  aid  of  their  own  mucila- 
ginous saliva  to  the  inner  walls  of  chimneys. 
The  winter  range  of  this  species  is  unknown, 
as  all  the  birds  gather  at  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
in  the  fall,  suddenly  disappear  and  are  not  seen 
again  until  spring. 

5.    CRACKLES 

Haunts:  Cultivated  lands  or  coniferous 
thickets  or  woods. 

19 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Description:  Blackish,  with  various  iri- 
descent hues  on  the  breast,  head  and  back. 

Field-marks:  Long  tail  and  iridescent  re- 
flections. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  13  inches.  Tail 
long. 

Call:  A  guttural  and  rasping  call,  besides 
numerous  squeaking  notes. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  One  of  the  first  sum- 
mer residents  to  arrive,  often  appearing  in 
February.  Locally  abundant,  tho  in  a  few 
localities  they  are  almost  absent.  Have  ex- 
tended their  local  range  greatly  within  the  last 
few  years. 

Remarks:  Very  noisy  and  generally  seen 
in  flocks,  even  during  the  breeding  season. 
There  are  two  species  of  Crackles  but  they  are 
similar  in  appearance  and  it  requires  an  expert 
to  detect  their  differences  in  the  field. 

6.    PHCEBE 

Haunts:  Near  dwellings  or  old  bridges,  in 
the  beams  or  stones  of  which  the  nest  is 
placed. 

Description:  Olive-brown  above,  blackish 
on  the  crown;  grayish-white  on  the  under  parts, 
often  with  a  yellowish  shading. 

Field-marks :  A  frequent  flip  of  the  tail  and 
a  blackish  crown. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  7  inches.  Bill 
thin. 

Call: '  A  thickly  uttered  and  labial  "Phe-be." 
20 


PHOEBE 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  in  the 
spring  and  departs  late  in  the  fall. 

Remarks:  Like  most  of  its  family,  the  Fly- 
catchers, the  Phoebe  may  be  distinguished  from 
many  other  birds  by  its  habit  of  perching  nearly 
straight  up  and  down  on  a  branch  rather  than 
assuming  the  more  horizontal  position  of  most 
birds. 

7.    FLICKER 

Haunts :     Orchards,  lawns  and  woods. 

Description:  Brownish  above,  with  black 
bars.  Crown  slate  gray.  Large  white  patch 
on  lower  back.  Most  of  the  under  parts  whit- 
ish with  large  black  dots.  Red  patch  on""  the 
back  of  head,  and  black  crescent  on  the  breast 
which  is  an  unspotted  brownish.  The  male 
has  a  black  mustache  mark. 

Field-marks :     White  on  lower  back. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  12  inches.  Bill 
long  and  thin.  Tail  feathers  pointed. 

Call:  "Wake  up,  wake  up,"  etc.,  a  liquid 
and  rapid  call,  is  one  of  its  most  common  spring 
notes.  Also  a  nasal  two-syllabled  "ka-yei." 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  and 
stays  late. 

Remarks:  Unlike  most  Woodpeckers,  the 
Flicker  is  frequently  found  on  the  ground  in 
search  of  ants,  which  are  one  of  its  favorite  foods. 
Usually,  however,  it  follows  the  family  trait  by 
climbing  tree  trunks  and  branches.  Flight 
undulating. 

21 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

8.    RED- WINGED  BLACKBIRD 

Haunts:    Swamps. 

Description:  Male:  black  with  red  patches 
on  wings,  edged  with  yellow  and  white.  Fe- 
male: gray,  heavily  streaked  with  brown. 
Darker  above. 

Field-marks:     Male,  red  on  wings. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  9.5  inches.  Bill 
thin. 

Song:  A  guttural  but  liquid  "0-ka-lee," 
the  last  syllable  of  which  is  accented  and  drawn 
out. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  but  re- 
mains in  flocks  for  a  long  while  before  pairing 
off  for  the  breeding  season.  Enormous  flocks 
congregate  in  the  late  summer  for  a  long  period 
before  the  southern  journey. 

9.    HOUSE  WREN 

Haunts :  Near  habitations,  particularly  those 
of  a  rustic  nature. 

Description:  Above,  cinnamon-brown,  with 
fine  black  bars  on  wings  and  tail.  Below, 
whitish  with  a  buffy  tint. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5  inches.  Tail 
square.  Bill  slender. 

Song:     A  mellow,  bubbling  trill. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  last  week 
in  April  and  starts  nesting  soon,  after. 

Remarks:  An  active  and  nervous  bit  of 
feathers,  always  jumping  here  and  there,  ap- 
parently never  lacking  in  full  vitality.  Fond 

22 


FLICKER 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

of  nesting  boxes  or  almost  any  aid  which  one 
gives  in  this  direction,  even  if  it  be  only  a 
tomato  can. 

10.  WOOD  THRUSH 

Haunts:  Woods  or  cultivated  land  contain- 
ing numerous  trees. 

Description:  Dark  brown  above,  becoming 
redder  on  the  crown.  Under  parts  silky  white 
with  large  black  spots. 

Field-marks:  Brighter  head  and  heavily 
spotted  breast. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  8.3  inches.  Bill 
slender. 

Song:  A  bell-like  and  either  ascending  or 
descending  "a-o-lee,"  highly  musical  and  at 
times  almost  mournful. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  May  ist. 
Leaves  October  ist. 

Remarks :  Lives  a  good  deal  on  the  ground 
in  cultivated  localities,  but  its  real  home  is  the 
deep  woods  where  it  thrills  creation  with  its 
rapturous  music.  Sings  mostly  at  dawn  or 
vesper,  but  occasionally  during  the  day. 

11.  VESPER  SPARROW 

Haunts:    Fields. 

Description:  Streaked  brownish  above  with 
a  dark  cheek  patch.  Chestnut  on  bend  of  wing, 
and  white  outer  tail  feathers.  Under  parts 
whitish,  streaked  with  brown. 

Field-marks :    White  outer  tail  feathers. 
23 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  6.1  inches.  Size 
of  English  and  Song  Sparrows. 

Song:  Not  unlike  the  Song  Sparrow's,  but 
less  musical  and  preceded  by  two  minor  notes 
which  are  not  heard  except  when  near  by.  The 
song  has  more  of  a  sameness  than  the  Song 
Sparrow's  and  tends  toward  couplets. 

Seasonal  Abundance:    Arrives  April  ist. 

Remarks :  This  bird  is  fond  of  the  roadside 
and  hence  is  often  flushed  by  a  passing  motor, 
when  it  is  easily  recognizable  by  its  tail  feathers. 

12.     MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT 

Haunts :     Low  bushes,  not  far  from  water. 

Description :  Bright  olive-green  above ;  grayer 
on  crown;  white  on  forehead,  and  line  over  eye. 
Lower  forehead  and  large  mask  extended  thru 
the  eyes,  black.  Under  parts  bright  yellow, 
paling  to  white  on  the  belly. 

Field-marks :     Distinct  black  mask. 

Size  and  Shape:     Length  5.3  inches. 

Song:  A  musical  and  sharply  accentuated 
"Witch-i-ty,  witch-i-ty,"  etc.,  the  first  syllable 
accented. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  first  week 
in  May  and  leaves  the  middle  of  October. 
Starts  breeding  May  25th. 

13.    BALTIMORE  ORIOLE 

Haunts:     Cultivated  or  semi-cultivated  land 
with  numerous  shade  trees. 
24 


WOOD  THRUSH 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Description:  Orange,  with  black  head,  upper 
back,  wings  and  tail.  The  wings  and  tail  with 
orange  and  white  markings.  Bill  black. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  7.5  inches  (same 
as  Wood  Thrush). 

Song:  A  lively  and  clear  whistle  of  usually 
five  notes,  the  third  or  more  rarely  the  fourth, 
the  highest. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  May  ist  and 
is  very  conspicuous  during  the  breeding  season, 
but  almost  unobservable  in  the  late  summer 
and  early  fall.  One  of  the  first  birds  to  disap- 
pear for  the  moulting  period. 


14.    CATBIRD 


Haunts :    Low  bushes. 

Description :  Dark  slate-gray.  Crown  black- 
ish. Tail  and  wings  darker.  Under  parts 
lighter.  Chestnut  under  tail-coverts. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  8.9  inches.  Slender, 
with  narrow  bill. 

Song:  A  medley  of  warbling,  squeaking,  and 
imitative  sounds,  usually  uttered  from  the  top  of 
some  bush.  Also  a  mewing  "Nee"  like  a  cat. 

Seasonal  Abundance:     Arrives  late  in  April. 

Remarks:  Of  the  same  family  and  with 
the  same  type  of  song  as  the  Mockingbird,  but 
its  vocal  ability  is  far  more  limited. 

15.     KINGBIRD 

Haunts :     Near  fields. 

Description:     Dark  gray  above;  silky  white 
25 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

below.  Orange-red  patch  on  the  crown,  and 
white  band  on  end  of  tail. 

Field-marks:    White  tail-band. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  8.5  inches.  Bill 
thin. 

Call:    A  sharp  "  Tsee,  tsee." 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  first  week 
in  May. 

Remarks:  A  favorite  perch  of  the  Kingbird 
is  a  telegraph  wire  or  the  top  of  some  tree.  They 
are  often  seen  chasing  large  birds,  particularly 
Crows,  which  they  attack  with  great  zeal,  soon 
driving  them  from  the  neighborhood. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  FIFTEEN  NEXT  COMMON  SUMMER  RESIDENTS 
1 6.      COWBIRD 

Haunts:  Fields,  preferably  cow-pastures  and 
lawns. 

Description:  Male:  black  with  a  dark  brown 
head.  Female:  gray;  lighter  below, 

Size  and  Shape:    Length  7.9  inches. 

Call :  A  two-syllabled  squeaking  ' '  swee-zee ' ' ; 
very  highly  pitched. 

Seasonal  Abundance :    Arrives  early. 

Remarks:  This  bird  follows  the  European 
Cuckoo  in  its  well-known  habit  of  inflicting  its 
nesting  burdens  on  other  species.  Not  only  do 
the  Warblers  and  Sparrows,  etc.,  have  to  rear 
the  young  Cowbird,  whose  egg  the  female  laid 
in  their  nest,  but  the  Cowbird  often  secures  so 
much  of  the  food  that  the  true  young  starve. 

17.    BROWN  THRASHER 

Haunts :    Thickets,  often  along  roadsides. 

Description:  Above,  bright  reddish-brown; 
two  white  wing-bars.  Below,  white  with  heavy 
black  streaks. 

Size  and  Shape:     Length    n   inches.     Slen- 
der.    Tail  long.     Bill  long  and  slender. 
27 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Song:    A  musical  medley,  uttered  in  couplets. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  last  part 
of  April. 

Remarks:  A  rather  shy  bird,  disappearing 
almost  upon  observation.  Lives  near  the  ground 
except  when  singing,  at  which  time  it  choose 
a  lofty  perch  if  the  day  is  cold,  but  a  low  one  on 
hot  days. 

1 8.    TURKEY  VULTURE 

Haunts:  Flies  about  in  the  air,  except  for 
an  occasional  descent  to  earth  for  its  food. 
Sometimes  seen  on  dead  trees  or  fence  posts, 
usually  in  large  groups. 

Description :  Black,  with  red  unf eathered  head. 

Size  and  Shape :     Length  30  inches. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  last  of 
March  but  does  not  become  common  for  several 
weeks.  Leaves  the  last  of  October. 

Remarks:  This  bird  must  be  clearly  distin- 
guished from  the  various  species  of  Hawks,  a 
requirement  which  no  doubt  is  easier  written 
than  accomplished.  But  the  Vulture,  or,  as 
he  is  sometimes  called,  the  Buzzard,  glides  or 
sails  far  more  than  the  Hawks,  and  if  closely 
enough  approached,  can  be  distinguished  by  his 
black  color. 

19.    BOBOLINK 

Haunts:     Low  fields  and  meadows. 
Description:     Male  in  summer:  under  parts, 
wings,   forehead,   cheeks,  upper  back  and  tail, 
28 


BOBOLINK 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

black.  Back  of  neck,  yellowish-buff.  Lower 
back  and  lines  down  the  center  and  sides  of 
back  white.  Also  white  in  wings  and  tail. 
Bill  blue  black.  Female  and  male  in  fall: 
above,  olive-buff  with  blackish  markings.  Be- 
low, yellowish.  Crown  dark,  with  a  light  yel- 
lowish stripe  down  the  center. 

Field-marks:  Pointed  tail  feathers.  Male: 
black  forehead  and  under  parts  and  white  rump. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  7.3  inches.  Bill 
short  and  thick.  Tail  feathers  pointed. 

Song:  An  ecstatic  gurgling  melody,  utterly 
indescribable. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  first  week 
in  May,  and  altho  not  leaving  until  October, 
congregates  in  flocks  soon  after  the  breeding 
season. 

Remarks:  The  Bobolink  of  our  spring  mead- 
ows changes  completely  after  he  completes  his 
nesting  duties.  He  dons  the  inconspicuous 
garb  of  his  mate  and  together  they  migrate 
southward  to  become  the  "  Rice-bird "  and 
"  Reed-bird "  of  the  Southern  sportsmen,  who 
consider  them  to  be  game  birds. 

2O.      TOWHEE 

Haunts:  Thickets,  or  land  covered  by  a  low 
growth  of  any  tree. 

Description:  Male:  upper  parts,  head  and 
throat  black.  Belly  white,  sides  chestnut. 
White  in  wings  and  end  of  outer  tail  feathers. 
Female :  similar  to  the  male,  but  black  replaced 
by  brown. 

29 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Field-marks:  White  in  tail  and  chestnut 
sides. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  8.4  inches.  Bill 
short  and  thick. 

Song  and  Call:  Call,  a  sharply  whistled 
"To-whee,"  the  last  syllable  accented.  The 
song  starts  with  the  same  note  but  is  followed 
by  a  musical  trill. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  last  of 
April  and  stays  until  late  in  October. 

Remarks:     Lives  close  to  the  ground. 

21.    SCARLET  TAN  ACER 

Haunts:     Deciduous  woods. 

Description:  Male  in  summer:  scarlet  with 
black  wings  and  tail.  Female  and  immature: 
yellowish  green  above;  paler  below.  Wings 
and  tail  darker  but  not  black.  Male  in  fall  and 
winter:  similar  to  the  female,  but  with  black 
wings  and  tail. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  7.3  inches.  Bill 
short  and  thick. 

Song:  Similar  to  the  Robin's'  but  with  a 
unique  grating  quality  and  -lacking  the  soft 
tones  of  the  Robin. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  May  ist  and 
during  the  month  is  often  seen  in  flocks.  Leaves 
the  first  week  in  October. 

Remarks:  This  bird's  home  is  the  tops  of 
forest  trees,  where  it  nests  and  from  which  it 
sings  thruout  the  day. 

30 


TOWHEE 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

22.     ORCHARD  ORIOLE 

Haunts:  Orchards,  roadsides  and  cultivated 
land. 

Description:  Male,  bright  chestnut,  with 
black  head,  tail  and  wings.  Female  and  first 
year  male,  dull  olive  above;  yellow  or  yellowish 
below.  Second  year  male,  similar  to  the  female 
but  with  a  black  throat. 

Size  and  Shape :   Length  7.3  inches.     Bill  thin. 

Song:  A  sweet  but  clear  warbling,  similar  to 
that  of  the  Rose-breasted  Grosbeak. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  first  of 
May,  and  leaves  the  first  week  in  September. 
Is  one  of  the  first  summer  residents  to  depart. 

23.     REDSTART 

Haunts :    Woods,  or  at  least  groves  of  trees. 

Description :  Male :  black  except  for  white  belly 
and  salmon  patches  on  wings  and  all  but  the  tips 
of  the  outer  tail  feathers.  Female  and  imma- 
ture: grayish-olive  above;  whitish  below.  Yel- 
low replaces  the  salmon  of  the  male.  The  young 
male  does  not  acquire  the  full  adult  plumage 
until  the  end  of  his  first  breeding  season. 

Field-marks:  Salmon  in  the  male;  yellow 
in  the  female  and  young  male. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5.4  inches.  Tail 
long.  Bill  slender.  General  appearance  slim. 

Song:  A  high-pitched  ascending  "Tzee-tzee- 
tzee,"  etc.,  becoming  slower  at  the  end;  and  a 
"We-ez,  we-ez,  we-ez,"  etc.,  very  squeaky  and 
monotonous. 

31 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Seasonal  Abundance :  Arrives  the  first  week 
in  May  and  remains  until  October. 

24.    BLACK  AND  WHITE  WARBLER 

Haunts :    Woods. 

Description:  Black  above,  with  white  streaks 
on  the  crown  and  back,  an.d  white  in  tail.  Below, 
white  streaked  with  black  on  throat  and  sides. 

Field-marks:  Striped  crown  and  habit  of 
tree-climbing,  like  a  Woodpecker. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5.3  inches.  Slen- 
der and  with  thin  bill. 

Song:    A  thin,  wiry  "Se-e-ee-ee." 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  April  2Oth. 
Common  immediately.  Leaves  October  I5th. 

Remarks:  Because  of  its  tree-trunk  creep- 
ing habit,  this  true  Warbler  is  known  to  many 
observers  as  the  Black  and  White  Creeper. 
The  individual  range  of  this  species  is  uniquely 
limited  during  the  nesting  season. 

25.     YELLOW  WARBLER 

Haunts:    Thickets,  preferably  near  water. 

Description:  Bright  yellow;  wings,  tail  and 
back  more  olive-yellow,  and  .the  breast  and 
sides  streaked  with  reddish-brown.  Yellow  in 
wings  and  outer  tail  feathers. 

Field-marks :  Yellow  in  tail,  which  is  unique 
among  the  Warblers. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5  inches  (same  as 
preceding).  Bill  slender. 

Song:  Similar  to  Redstart's  last  mentioned, 
32 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

but  with  the  accent  on  the  fourth  from  the  last 
syllable. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  first  of 
May.  Leaves  September  I5th. 

Remarks:  Sometimes  known  as  the  "Wild 
Canary." 

26.    CHESTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER 

Haunts:  Roadsides,  upland  meadows  and 
cultivated  land. 

Description:  Male:  cheeks  and  under  parts 
white,  with  chestnut  sides  meeting  a  black  line 
from  bill;  another  black  line  thru  eye;  crown 
yellow;  back,  wings  and  tail  greenish  with  black 
markings.  Yellowish  wing-bars.  White  in  tail. 
Female:  similar  but  colors  paler  and  with  less 
or  no  black  and  chestnut. 

Field-marks:  Yellowish  crown  and  the 
chestnut  sides  of  the  male. 

Size  and  Shape:    Length  5.1  inches. 

Song:  Similar  to  the  Yellow  Warbler's  but 
with  the  accent  on  the  third  instead  of  the  fourth 
from  the  last  syllable. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  May  1st  and 
remains  until  October. 

27.      OVENBIRD 

Haunts:    Woods. 

Description:  Above,  olive.  Below,  whitish 
with  brown  streaks.  Center  of  crown  dull 
orange  with  black  borders. 

Field-marks :    Orange  in  crown. 
3  33 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Size  and  Shape:     Length  6.2  inches. 

Song:  A  loud  "Tee-che-tee-che,"  etc.,  be- 
coming louder  with  each  syllable  and  with  a 
longer  space  between  the  second  and  third, 
fourth  and  fifth  syllables,  etc.  Also  an  infre- 
quent flight  song. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  late  in  April 
and  leaves  in  October. 

Remarks:    Often  found  on  the  ground. 

28.    RED-EYED  VIREO 

Haunts:  Almost  any  locality,  provided  it 
contains  trees. 

Description:  Upper  parts,  olive  green.  Be- 
low, whitish.  Crown,  gray  with  a  narrow  black 
border.  White  line  over  eye. 

Field-marks :    White  line  over  eye. 

Size  and  Shape :    Length  6.2  inches. 

Song:  A  peculiar,  declamatory,  two  or  three 
syllabled  note,  kept  up  incessantly,  even  thru- 
out  the  midday  heat  of  a  summer  day. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  May  ist  and 
stays  until  the  middle  of  October. 

Remarks :  Rather  inconspicuous  in  markings 
and  habits,  tho  far  from  shy,  and,  tho  constantly 
seeming  to  attract  attention  by  its  call,  yet  by 
its  very  monotony  it  often  passes  unnoticed. 

29.    BELTED  KINGFISHER 

Haunts:    Near  some  stream  or  body  of  water. 
Description:    Male:  blue-gray    above,    with 
small  white  dots  on  wings  and  tail;  breast  with 
34 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

a  wide  blue-gray  band.  Female:  similar,  but 
has  the  sides  and  an  incomplete  band  across  the 
lower  breast  chestnut. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  13  inches.  Very 
thickly  built;  bill  long  and  slender;  tail  short. 

Call:    A  harsh  rattle. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  and  is 
one  of  the  last  summer  residents  to  depart. 
I  have  even  seen  them  at  Christmas  when  the 
winter  was  an  open  one. 

Remarks:  Lives  along  the  borders  of  inland 
lakes,  where  it  perches  until,  having  sighted  its 
prey,  it  darts  forth,  capturing  some  fish  from 
the  water,  and  returns  with  a  rattling  note  of 
triumph. 

30.    RUBY-THROATED  HUMMINGBIRD 

Haunts:  Flower  gardens  or  wherever  blos- 
soms are  to  be  found. 

Description:  Metallic  green  above;  silvery 
white  below;  the  male  having  a  metallic  ruby 
throat  which  the  female  lacks.  Part  of  wings 
and  tail  dark  purple;  tail  of  the  male  forked, 
while  his  mate's  is  rounded  and  bordered  by 
white. 

Field-marks:  Long  bill  and  bright  green  up- 
per parts. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  3.7  inches.  Bill 
extremely  long,  thin  and  pointed. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  the  1st  of 
May  and  leaves  the  last  of  September. 

Remarks:  This  single  Eastern  species  of  a 
35 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

distinctively  South  American  family  is  one  of 
the  wonders  of  the  bird  world.  A  bullet-like 
flight,  a  dazzling  beating  of  wings  and  a  stable 
poising,  together  with  its  nest  and  eggs,  are 
among  the  attributes  which  make  this  ball  of 
feathers  the  admiration  and  marvel  of  our  bird 
life. 


CHAPTER  VII 

NESTS 

Before  the  summer  is  over  a  bird  student 
should  learn  to  identify  the  nests  of  our  common 
birds.  Therefore,  after  having  learned  to  iden- 
tify the  preceding  thirty  species,  go  nest-hunting. 
Let  us  consider  the  nests  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  birds,  i.  e.,  according  to  their  abundance 
and  relative  ease  of  recognition. 

1.  English  Sparrow:    A  bulky  affair,   con- 
sisting of  straw  and  dry  grass  as  a  rule,  but  may 
be  built  of  anything  from  chicken  feathers  to 
bits  of  paper.     Always  huge,  untidy  and  loosely 
constructed,  and   built  either  in  the  eaves  or 
roof  of  one's  house,  the  barn,  or  some  nearby 
shade  tree.     Eggs:  white  with  olive  markings. 

2.  Robin:    A   nest   of   coarse   grass,    mud- 
lined,  and  with  an  inner  covering  of  fine  grasses, 
placed  usually  near  houses,  but  otherwise  the 
situation  is  unlimited.     The  mud  lining  is  the 
chief    identification    mark.      Eggs:    greenish- 
blue. 

3.  House   Wren:    Generally   built   in   the 
hole  of  a  tree,  bird-box  or  some  other  crevice 
and  constructed  of  twigs,   grass  and  feathers. 
Eggs:  pinkish-buff,  occasionally  with  fine  spots 
and  a  deeper  shaded  wreath  at  the  larger  end. 

37 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

The  Wren  never  strays  far  from  its  home,  which 
vastly  simplifies  the  search. 

4.  Phoebe :    Situated  on  the  beams  or  stones 
of  some  dwelling  or  underneath  a  bridge.     Of 
grass,    hair   and  moss,    bulky   and   mud-lined. 
The  bird  is  generally  found  near  the  nest.     Eggs : 
white,  rarely  with  a  few  brownish  spots. 

5.  Barn  Swallow:     On  the  rafters  of  farm 
buildings  and  made  of  mud  and  grass  with  a 
grass  lining.     Eggs:  white,  with  small  brownish 
spots. 

6.  Chipping  Sparrow:    Nests  in  low  bushes 
and  the  nest  is  formed  of  grass  or  rootlets  and 
is   heavily  lined  with   horse-hair.     Eggs:   blue 
with   reddish-brown   spots.      The   unique   hair 
lining  of  this  nest  is  a  good  identification  mark. 

7.  Song    Sparrow:     Rather    coarsely    con- 
structed of  grass,  rootlets,  etc.,  with  a  somewhat 
finer  lining.     Placed  either  on  the  ground  or  in 
low  bushes.     Eggs:  whitish  with  heavy  brownish 
markings. 

8.  Baltimore   Oriole:     Pendant-shaped  and 
hung  by  a  few  strands  to  the  limb  of  a  shade 
tree  or  sapling;  consists  of  grass,  bark,  hair  and 
string,    concisely   interwoven    and   hung    at    a 
height  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet.     Eggs: 
white  with  blackish  scrawls,  spots  and  blotches. 

9.  Bluebird:     Placed   in   a   hollow   tree   or 
bird  house  and  made  of  grasses.     Eggs:  white, 
usually  with  a  decidedly  blue  shading. 

10.  Crow:     A    loose   mass   of   dead   twigs, 
moss  and  bark,  laid  together  high  up  in  the 
crotch  of  some  tree,  usually  in  the  woods.     Eggs: 

38 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

bluish-green,  generally  with  brownish  markings. 
The  Crow's  nest  must  not  be  confused  with 
that  of  the  Gray  Squirrel,  which  is  composed 
chiefly  of  dead  leaves.  The  Crow's  does  not 
contain  dead  leaves. 


39 


PART  THREE:  FALL  AND  SPRING 
CHAPTER  VIII 

TRANSIENTS 

It  must  be  remembered  that,  in  migration, 
birds  travel  in  unaccustomed  localities  and, 
therefore,  the  haunts  of  transients  are  variable. 
Also,  that  owing  to  the  variation  of  a  bird's 
migration,  some  of  the  following  transients  may 
not  always  be  found,  even  during  the  migration 
period.  It  is  usually  better  to  study  the  sum- 
mer part,  if  not  too  early  in  the  spring  or  too 
late  in  the  fall,  as  this  will  be  apt  to  suffice,  tho 
it  might  be  well  to  state  here  that  the  early  fall 
is  probably  the  worst  period  for  a  beginner  to 
start  ornithology,  owing  not  only  to  the  tran- 
sients or  even  to  the  changed  plumages  of  many 
of  the  males,  but  also  to  the  presence  of  numbers 
of  young  birds  with  all  their  '  immature 
markings. 

i.    TREE  SWALLOW 

Haunts:  Flies  about  in  the  air,  particularly 
near  marshes.  Flies  the  highest  of  the  swallows. 

Description:  Steel-green  above;  silky- white 
below. 

40 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5.9  inches.  Wings 
long.  Bill  thin. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  April  ist.  Is 
common  for  several  weeks  until  its  disappear- 
ance for  nesting;  but  it  is  easily  the  first  bird 
to  congregate  in  our  swamps  before  migration, 
often  being  seen  in  early  July. 

Remarks:  For  many  swampy  localities  near 
New  York  this  bird  is  a  summer  resident,  not 
a  transient,  but  since  for  the  majority  it  is 
the  latter,  I  have  included  it  in  this  chapter. 
The  Tree  Swallow  breeds  in  nesting  boxes  or 
in  tree  stumps. 

2.    BLACK  POLL  WARBLER 

Haunts:    Wood  or  thickets. 

Description:  Male:  crown  black;  cheeks 
white;  under  parts  white,  the  sides,  starting  at 
the  bill,  streaked  with  black.  Upper  parts 
ashy,  streaked  with  blackish.  Two  white  wing- 
bars  and  white  in  tail.  Female,  male  in  fall 
and  immature:  no  black  crown;  olive-green 
above  and  yellowish  below.  White  in  tail  and 
two  wing-bars. 

Field-marks:  Adult  male  in  spring:  black 
crown  and  white  wing-bars. 

Size  and  Shape :  Length  5.6  inches.  Heavily 
built. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  May  isth  and 
remains  until  the  first  week  in  June.  Very 
abundant  in  fall  migration. 

Remarks:  In  the  fall  great  difficulty  is 
experienced  in  distinguishing  this  bird  from 
41 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

the  Bay-breasted  Warbler,  owing  to  the  male's 
change  in  plumage  and  the  abundance  of  the 
immature  birds. 

3.    RUBY-CROWNED  KINGLET 

Haunts:    Thickets  or  trees. 

Description:  Above,  grayish  olive-green;  be- 
low, soiled  whitish;  two  whitish  wing-bars. 
Male  with  a  bright  red  patch  on  crown. 

Field-marks:     Red  on  the  male's  crown. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  4.4  inches.  Bill 
thin. 

Song:  A  low  but  penetrating  warbling,  very 
rich  and  filled  with  variety. 

Call:    A  sputtering  buzz. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  and  re- 
mains late,  both  in  spring  and  fall. 

Remarks:  This  active  little  creature  flits 
about  nervously  from  some  low  bush  to  the  tip 
top  of  a  tall  tree.  It  is  fond  of  conifers  but  is 
at  home  anywhere,  and  may  be  alone,  in  pairs 
or  in  flocks.  It  does  not  cease  its  flitting  about 
while  in  song,  and  often  accompanies  its  flight 
with  its  frequently  uttered  scolding  call  note. 

4.    YELLOW-BELLIED  SAPSUCKER 

Haunts:    Woods,  orchards  or  shade  trees. 

Description:  Male:  crown  and  throat  bright 
red;  breast  black;  belly  pale  yellow;  sides  lighter, 
with  black  streaks.  Back,  wings  and  tail  a 
conglomerate  mixture  of  black  and  white  bars 
and  spots;  white  line  from  bill  under  eye;  dis- 
42 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

tinct  white  line  down  wing.  Female:  similar 
to  the  male  but  throat  white  and  sometimes 
crown  black. 

Field-marks:  Wide  white  stripe  down  the 
wing. 

Size  and  Shape:    Length  8.6  inches. 

Song:  A  clear,  penetrating  and  sweet  call, 
repeated  several  times.  Not  unlike  the  call  of 
the  Carolina  Wren.  I  have  never  heard  the 
song  during  migration. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  In  the  spring  stays 
from  April  loth  to  only  the  end  of  the  month. 
Returns  the  end  of  September,  leaving  again 
the  last  of  October. 

Remarks:  A  very  shy  bird  and  hard  to  dis- 
cover. Most  likely  to  be  found  near  apple  or 
other  fruit  trees.  Can  be  readily  told  while 
on  the  trunk  of  the  tree  from  any  other  Wood- 
pecker by  the  distinct  white  stripe  down  the 
wing.  The  bird  girdles  fruit  trees  in  search  of 
both  the  sap  and  the  insects  which  feed  upon 
it.  Few  apple-trees  do  not  show  the  Sapsucker's 
visits. 

5.    RED-BREASTED   NUTHATCH 

Haunts :    Woods  or  groups  of  trees. 

Description:  Male:  similar  in  general  ap- 
pearance to  the  White-breasted  but  smaller, 
with  a  reddish  breast  and  with  a  black  line  thru 
the  eye.  Crown  black.  Female:  similar,  but 
the  black  replaced  by  bluish-gray. 

Field-marks:  Black  (male)  or  blue-gray 
(female)  line  thru  eye. 

43 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  4  inches.  Bill 
slender. 

Call:  More  nasal  and  finer  than  the  White- 
breasted's. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  and  de- 
parts late  both  in  spring  and  fall. 


44 


CHAPTER  IX 

MIGRATION   DATA 

There  are  certain  data  regarding  the  arrival 
and  departure  of  our  birds  which  it  is  not  only 
interesting  to  keep  for  one's  own  reference,  but 
which  can  be  made  of  service  to  any  of  the  va- 
rious organizations  compiling  such  material. 
The  Biological  Survey  of  the  United  States  De- 
partment of  Agriculture  is  perhaps  the  largest 
and  best  organized.  There  are  varied  questions 
asked  on  blanks  of  this  type  but  if  you  wish  to 
keep  a  brief  record  of  your  own  migration  obser- 
vations covering  a  period  of  several  years,  I  think 
the  following  scheme  is  as  good  as  any. 


45 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 


? 

M 

3 

D 

^ 

H 

3 

3 

I 

Q 

ON 

i 

M 

Si  8 

>  Si      o 

<  W        H 

P 

4. 

J 

M 

9 

? 

1 

W  j        W 

O  •<        H 

13     2 

<<!        H 

I 

46 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

This  can  be  used  for  both  the  spring  and  fall 
migrations,  as  in  the  spring  the  arrival  columns 
will  be  left  blank  for  the  winter  residents,  and 
the  departure  columns  for  the  summer  residents, 
whereas  in  the  fall  the  reverse  will  hold  true. 
At  either  season  both  blanks  will  be  filled  for 
transients. 


47 


PART  FOUR:    WINTER 
CHAPTER  X 

WINTER    RESIDENTS 

i.    SLATE-COLORED  JUNCO 

Haunts:     Fields,  thickets  or  around  houses. 

Description:  Male:  slate-gray,  almost  black 
on  head  and  breast;  belly  clear  white;  outer  tail 
feathers  white;  bill  flesh-color.  Female:  paler, 
with  a  brownish  rather  than  black  shading, 
particularly  on  the  breast. 

Field-marks:  White  outer  tail  feathers  and 
the  flesh-colored  bill. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  6.3  inches.  Bill 
short  and  thick. 

Song  and  Call:  An  unbroken,  rattling  trill. 
Call:  a  deep  metallic  "Tsip." 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  in  Sep- 
tember and  does  not  leave  until  the  end  of  May. 
Only  abundant,  however,  for  about  six  months. 

0.    WHITE-THROATED  SPARROW 

% 

Haunts:    Thickets  or  low  bushes. 

Description:  Male:  streaked  brown  above; 
crown  black  with  a  central  white  stripe;  white 
line  over  eye,  becoming  bright  yellow  before 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

eye;  under  parts  light  gray,  the  throat  with  a 
square  white  patch.  Female  and  immature: 
much  paler,  almost  lacking  the  sharply  defined 
white  areas  of  the  male  and  with  the  black 
replaced  by  brown. 

Field-marks:  Yellow  in  front  of  eye. 
Sharply  defined  white  throat  patch  of  male. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  6.7  inches.  Bill 
short  and  thick. 

Song:  A  clearly  whistled  and  plaintive 
"Swee-e-e-e,  e-he-e,  e-he-e,  e-he-e,"  the  last  three 
notes  uttered  rapidly,  the  first  drawn  out.  Call: 
a  sharp  metallic  click. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  in  the 
fall  and  departs  late  in  the  spring. 

Remarks :  An  easily  found  yet  not  conspicu- 
ous bird.  Often  feeds  in  winter  with  Juncos 
and  Tree  Sparrows.  Old  brush  piles,  thickets 
and  roadsides  are  its  main  haunts,  tho  it  strays 
to  the  open  woods  and  fields  for  food.  The 
female  and  young  are  nondescript  and  unat- 
tractive. 

3.    TREE  SPARROW 

Haunts:  Almost  unlimited,  tho  preferably 
fields  or  thickets. 

Description :  Similar  to  the  Chipping  Sparrow, 
with  which  it  may  be  easily  confused.  The  Tree 
Sparrow,  however,  has  a  black  central  breast 
spot,  and  a  brown  rather  than  a  black  line  thru 
the  eye.  The  Tree  Sparrow  is  also  larger  than 
the  familiar  "Chippy." 
4  49 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Field-marks:  Black  breast  spot;  reddish- 
brown  crown;  brown  line  thru  the  eye. 

Size  and  Shape :  Length  6.4  inches.  Bulkier 
than  the  Chipping  Sparrow. 

Song:  Not  unlike  a  Canary's;  a  sweet,  low 
and  broken  medley. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  late  in  the 
fall  and  leaves  in  the  first  part  of  April,  tho  a 
few  individuals  may  linger  until  May. 

Remarks :  This  bird  arrives  at  about  the  same 
time  as  its  near-double,  the  "  Chippy, "  leaves. 
The  two  birds  see  little  of  one  another,  yet  for  a 
short  period  are  liable  to  be  observed  in  the  same 
flock,  when  their  distinctions  may  be  well  noted. 
Together  with  the  Junco  and  the  White-throat 
this  species  forms  a  trio  of  our  most  common 
winter  birds,  and  flocking  together  as  they  do, 
may  constitute  a  large  proportion  of  the  bird- 
life  of  the  community. 

4.    HERRING  GULL 

Haunts:  Seashore  and  the  mouths  or  even 
streams  of  large  rivers. 

Description:  Adults  in  summer:  white,  with 
back  and  wings  pearl -gray;  outer  wing-feathers 
black,  with  white  spots.  Adults  in  winter: 
similar  but  with  neck  and  head  grayish.  Im- 
mature: streaked  brownish;  lighter  below. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  24  inches.  Bulky 
and  with  short  tail,  long  wings,  thick  bill  and 
webbed  toes. 

Seasonal  Abundance :  Arrives  September  i  oth 
and  leaves  in  May. 

50 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Remarks:  To  observe  this  bird,  merely  the 
fare  and  the  time  for  a  ferry  ride  are  required  or, 
even  simpler,  go  to  either  shore  of  the  Hudson 
River  near  New  York  City  and  you  will  see 
dozens  of  them  flying  above  the  water. 

5.    GOLDEN-CROWNED  KINGLET^ 

Haunts:     Trees  or  shrubs. 

Description:  Olive-green  above;  dull  white 
below;  wings  and  tail  blackish  with  yellow 
markings ;  crown  bright  yellow,  the  male  with  a 
central  orange  shading. 

Field-mark:    Yellow  crown. 

Size  and  Shape :     Length  4.  i  inches.   Bill  thin. 

Call:  A  high,  thin  "Teet-ee-tee,"  uttered 
rapidly. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Remains  from  Sep- 
tember 2oth  until  the  last  part  of  April. 

Remarks :  An  easily  overlooked  type  of  bird, 
yet  one  of  our  steady  and  common  winter  species, 
apparently  unaffected  by  any  degree  of  tempera- 
ture. 

6.    BROWN  CREEPER 

Haunts:    Woods. 

Description :  Streaked  brown  and  gray  above, 
with  a  light  reddish-brown  rump;  tail  uniform 
brownish.  Below,  clear  white. 

Field-marks:  Streaked  back  and  uniform 
reddish-brown  rump. 

Size  and  Shape:  Length  5.5  inches.  Very 
slender  bill  and  a  long  tail  with  pointed  feathers. 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Call:     A  thin  squeaky  note. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  September  soth  until 
April. 

Remarks:  A  quiet  bird,  which  would  be  very 
hard  to  find  were  it  not  for  its  occasional  note. 
Consistently  starts  climbing  at  the  foot  of  a  tree 
trunk,  and  having  advanced  to  the  top,  flies 
directly  to  the  bottom  of  another  nearby,  and 
thence  continues  another  upward  journey  in 
search  of  the  larvae  which  comprise  its  food. 

7.    MYRTLE  WARBLER 

Haunts :    Trees  and  bushes. 

Description:  Male:  gray  above,  streaked 
with  blackish ;  white  in  tail  and  two  white  wing- 
bars.  Under  parts  white,  the  breast  and  flanks 
with  black  streaks.  Cheeks  black,  line  over  eye 
white;  rump,  center  of  crown  and  sides  bright 
yellow.  Female:  similar,  but  with  the  black 
replaced  by  grayish-brown. 

Field-marks:  Yellow  rump,  sides  and  center 
of  crown. 

Size  and  Shape :    Length  5.5  inches. 

Song:  A  nondescript  but  broken  trill.  Call: 
a  distinctively  deep  chirp;  deeper  than  that  of 
the  other  warblers. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Arrives  early  and  de- 
parts late.  Locally  rare  or  absent  in  winter. 
Always  most  common  at  the  height  of  migration. 

Remarks:  Often  seen  on  the  ground.  Our 
most  consistently  common  Warbler  thruout 
migration  and  always  recognizable  by  its  unique 
call-note. 

52 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

8.    HERMIT  THRUSH 

Haunts:    Woods  and  thickets. 

Description:  Olive-brown  above,  with  a 
bright  reddish-brown  tail.  Below,  buffy-white, 
spotted  with  blackish. 

Field-marks:    Length  7.2  inches.  Bill  slender. 

Song:  The  Hermit  Thrush  is  probably  the 
most  highly  musical  in  clearness  and  tone  of  all 
American  birds.  The  song  is  somewhat  similar 
in  quality  and  modulation  to  that  of  the  Wood 
Thrush,  but  is  nevertheless  unique. 

Seasonal  Abundance:  Common  transient. 
Rare  in  winter.  October  to  May. 

Remarks:  Shy  and  retiring  in  its  habits,  de- 
priving us  in  its  winter  home  of  the  rapture  of  its 
marvelous  voice.  Usually  lives  near  the  ground. 


CHAPTER  XI 

WINTER  FEEDING 

It  is  an  established  fact  that  the  main  factors 
in  bird  migration  are  weather  and  food.  Tem- 
perature is  of  surprisingly  small  account  in  its 
effect  on  birds.  This  is  shown  by  the  example  of 
almost  Arctic  birds  thriving  in  captivity  under 
the  same  climatic  conditions  as  those  whose 
habitat  is  some  portion  of  the  equatorial  zone,  in 
which  the  temperature  never  varies  more  than  ten 
degrees  thruout  the  year.  Undeniably,  during 
terrific  storms,  in  which  the  birds  become  soaked 
and  then  the  water  freezes,  many  hundreds  of 
birds  die  in  a  day  or  night;  but  as  a  rule  these 
conditions  are  rare  and  it  is  not  from  them  that 
birds  flee  to  southern  lands. 

The  most  potent  factor  is  food,  whether  it  be 
with  the  Flycatchers,  the  insects  which  have 
disappeared  for  the  winter ;  with  the  Osprey,  the 
fish;  or  in  the  case  of  the  Finches,  the  lack  of 
seeds.  To  cite  instances  which  prove  the  truth 
of  the  theory  is  as  useless  as  it  would  be  facile. 

Seeing  thus  how  large  a  part  the  food  supply 
plays  in  the  lives  of  birds,  we  can  realize  how 
greatly  we  may  aid  the  birds  by  remedying  the 
scarcity  which  drives  them  hundreds  of  miles 
away.  When  supplying  food  in  winter  consider 
54 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

the  species  that  you  are  feeding,  unless  you  are 
sufficiently  philanthropic  to  wish  to  satisfy  all 
tastes.  The  following  is  a  good  list  of  suitable 
food  and  outfit1: 

(1)  Beef  suet,  for  Woodpeckers,  etc.,  should 
be  tied  to  the  branch  of  some  tree  by  heavy  cord 
or  wire  to  prevent  the  birds  or  vermin  from 
carrying  the  suet  away;  or  preferably  placed  in  a 
"Simplex  Suet  Holder/*  made  by  the  Simplex 
Bird  Apparatus  Co.,  Demarest,  New  Jersey. 

(2)  Seed   Mixture  for  the  seed-eating  birds. 
This  group  includes  the  Sparrows  and  Juncos. 
The  Mixture  should  be  placed  in  the  upper  part 
of  a  small  wooden  hopper,  which  allows  the  birds 
to  feed  out  of  the  lower  part.    The  Mixture  should 
consist  equally  of  white  millet,  yellow  millet, 
canary  and  hemp  seed. 

(3)  Sunflower  seed  scattered  on  the  ground 
or  an  adjacent  shelf. 

(4)  Poultry    "scratch  food"    strewn  on  the 
surrounding  ground. 

Keep  away  the  English  Sparrows  and  Starlings 
at  any  cost.  Their  presence  will  mean  far  fewer 
native  varieties. 

Begin  your  winter  feeding  early,  so  that  before 
the  hard  winter  storms  come  the  birds  will 
become  acquainted  with  your  hospitality  and 
accustomed  to  avail  themselves  of  its  use. 

XI  desire  to  thank  Mr.  Beecher  S.  Bowdish  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  following  information  on  food  and 
apparatus. 


55 


PART  FIVE:  SUPPLEMENTARY  DATA 
CHAPTER  XII 

BOOKS,  PUBLICATIONS,  SOCIETIES,  ETC. 

I  have  stated  that  the  only  volume  needed 
in  connection  with  the  present  book  was  one 
containing  the  colored  plates  of  the  birds  herein 
described.  Now,  however,  having  learned  fifty 
of  our  most  common  species,  you  must  have  a 
reference  book  to  identify  the  hundred  odd  more 
you  may  meet  with  in  your  locality.  The  most 
reliable  and  the  most  thoroly  useful  book  will 
prove  to  be  Chapman's  Handbook  of  Birds, 
which  will  contain  any  species  you  may  meet  in 
Eastern  North  America  and  with  which,  if  you 
get  a  good  description  of  your  bird,  you  stand 
the  best  chance  of  learning  its  identity. 

If  you  are  utterly  puzzled  and  ignorant  of  the 
family  of  your  bird,  try  my  Key  in  the  Appendix. 
However,  by  this  time  you  should  know  by  the 
form  of  the  bill,  tail,  wings  or  some  special 
markings  to  what  family  the  bird  in  question 
belongs  and  therefore  should  be  able  to  turn 
directly  to  the  Key  of  that  family,  or  to  the 
description  of  its  various  members  in  the  Hand- 
book. This,  with  the  book  of  colored  plates,  will 
suffice  for  the  work,  but  as  an  aid  the  following 
stand  high  in  ornithological  literature: 
56 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Eaton's  Birds  of  New  York,  undoubtedly 
containing  the  best  plates  of  New  York  birds 
ever  produced.  Exceedingly  fine. 

Chapman's  Warblers  of  North  America,  a 
masterpiece  on  the  biographies  of  the  family. 

A.  0.  U.  Check  List,  giving  the  authoritative 
order,  names  and  habitats  of  North  American 
birds. 

Ridgway's  Birds  of  North  and  Middle  America, 
— a  more  detailed  and  technical  account.  Very 
complete. 

PUBLICATIONS 

The  following  publications  are  the  chief  ones 
relating  to  ornithology : 

Bird  Lore,  the  popular  official  organ  of  the 
Audubon  Society.  Bi-monthly. 

The  Auk,  SL  scientific  record  published  as  the 
organ  of  the  A.  0.  U.  Quarterly. 

Wilson's  Bulletin,  the  organ  of  the  Wilson 
Ornithological  Club. 

The  Condor,  the  organ  of  the  Cooper  Ornitho- 
logical Club. 

Oologist,  a  magazine  devoted  largely  to  oology. 

The  first  one  of  these,  Bird  Lore,  should 
certainly  be  in  the  home  of  every  bird  lover. 
It  is  trustworthy  and  at  the  same  time  has 
popular  appeal.  The  others,  of  which  The  Auk 
probably  stands  highest,  are  not  essential,  but  if 
the  reader  becomes  sufficiently  interested,  he 
may  procure  them. 

57 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

SOCIETIES 

As  to  the  various  bird  clubs  and  societies  which 
have  been  formed,  only  a  word  need  be  said.  Co- 
operation undeniably  affords  strength,  as  well 
as  the  pleasure  to  be  derived  by  association  in 
work  in  which  all  are  mutually  interested.  If 
a  local  society  for  either  bird  study  or  bird  pro- 
tection exists,  by  all  means  join  it.  It  de- 
serves the  support  of  all  who  are  interested  in 
bird  life.  As  to  joining  a  state  or  national 
organization,  it  is  not  essential  to  do  so  unless 
you  feel  you  will  benefit  thereby,  except  where 
you  are  aiding  protection  and  preservation 
by  your  support.  That  cause  is  certainly 
worthy.  Some  of  the  important  Eastern 
associations  are: 

1.  AMERICAN  ORNITHOLOGISTS'  UNION,  the 
national  scientific  body  of  ornithologists.    Their 
annual  meetings  held  in  different  cities  are  both 
instructive  and  entertaining.     Their  word  on 
nomenclature,  etc.,  is  considered  authoritative. 

2.  NATIONAL    ASSOCIATION     OF    AUDUBON 
SOCIETIES,  the  national  head  of  all  state  Audu- 
bon  Societies ;  one  of  the  best  organized  and  most 
successful  organizations  for  the  protection  of  our 
bird-life. 

3.  LINN^AN  SOCIETY,  a  scientific  body  con- 
fining its  activities  to  the  neighborhood  of  New 
York  City. 

4.  DELAWARE     VALLEY     ORNITHOLOGICAL 
CLUB,  a  society  with  Philadelphia  as  the  center 
of  its  field. 

58 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

Besides  these  there  are  many  organizations 
which  are  not  restricted  to  ornithology,  as  the 
American  Museum  and  the  New  York  Zoological 
Society,  but  which  do  vast  research  and  scientific 
work  along  practical  lines. 


59 


CHAPTER  XIII 

PROTECTION,  PRESERVATION  AND  PROPAGATION 

If,  as  a  bird  lover  and  scientist,  you  do  not 
already  recognize  the  economic  value  of  birds 
then  I  can  only  refer  you  in  proof  to  the  statistics 
which  flourish  in  all  libraries ;  and  if  you  have  not 
already  an  appreciation  of  beauty  highly  enough 
developed  to  perceive  the  beauty  in  birds,  then 
I  cannot  convince  you.  There  are  thousands 
who  have  that  appreciation,  however,  and,  to  be 
iterative,  the  practical  value  in  dollars  and  cents 
of  bird-life  is  no  myth.  The  question  most 
naturally  arises  next  as  to  how  we  may  best 
protect  those  agents  which  make  for  this  condi- 
tion. Cooperation  tends  towards  greater  co- 
ordination of  effort,  and  thus  success  is  best 
attained  when  those  who  wish  to  work  along 
preservative  lines  combine  in  their  endeavors. 
Yet  do  not  be  discouraged  if  you  are  unable  to 
ally  yourself  with  any  organization  and  are 
obliged  to  work  alone,  for  much  can  be  accom- 
plished by  a  single  worker  even  though  no  others 
assist.  Either  for  societies  or  for  individuals  the 
following  brief  summary  of  the  field  which  lies 
open  for  experimentation  may  be  of  assistance. 

Protection:  The  two  lines  which  this  division 
contains  may  be  termed  the  educational  and  the 
60 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

practical.  The  educational  consists  in  circu- 
lating literature  relating  to  birds  in  the  school  or 
other  organizations  and  particularly  in  driving 
home  the  need  of  protection  to  the  youth  of  the 
country  who  are  not  yet  prejudiced  and  who  do 
not  still  believe  that  "the  only  good  Hawk's  a 
dead  Hawk."  The  societies  can  do  a  great  deal, 
but  this  does  not  mean  that  the  individual  should 
lie  quietly  back  and  omit  an  opportunity  for 
personal  effort. 

The  practical  field  is  that  of  legislation  and 
warden  work.  First  the  bills  must  be  con- 
structed, entered  and  pushed  thru  the  legislature. 
But  the  work  only  begins  here,  for  surely  a  law 
might  just  as  well  be  off  the  statute  books  as 
to  be  unenforced.  And  yet  without  warden 
service  that  is  in  many  cases  precisely  the  status 
of  affairs.  Important  colonies  of  near-extinct 
birds,  rookeries  of  Egrets  and  haunts  of  valuable 
insectivorous  species  must  be  carefully  patrolled 
and  protected  from  the  gun  of  the  game-hog, 
the  milliners*  representative  or  the  over-zealous 
collector  or  oologist.  This  is  the  practical  field  of 
bird  protection. 

Preservation:  Bird  preservation  means  to  me 
one  and  only  one  thing:  The  bettering  of  the 
chances  of  our  birds  to  live  in  safety  and  to 
increase.  It  consists  of  the  establishment  of 
either  governmental,  state  or  private  game  re- 
servations, where  the  game  is  killed  only  on  a 
legitimate  and  sane  basis,  so  that  it  may  increase, 
and  the  insurance  of  safety  for  the  non-game 
birds.  It  means  also  the  aid  of  nesting  boxes  in 
6T 


THE  WAY  TO  STUDY  BIRDS 

summer  and  of  feeding  boxes  in  winter.  Here  are 
great  opportunities  for  service. 

Propagation:  This  section  contains  references 
to  game  breeding  and  liberation.  By  all  means 
confine  your  efforts  to  native  game!  For  years  the 
Hungarian  partridge  has  been  liberated  by  the 
thousand  in  America.  Nor  is  this  game  bird  a 
unique  example.  The  Bullfinch  and  the  Euro- 
pean Goldfinch  stand  forth  as  instances  among 
the  perching  birds.  And,  on  the  other  hand, 
look  at  the  few  cases  where  acclimatization  has 
been  successful.  The  English  Sparrow  is  notable 
among  this  class.  From  ornithological  history 
we  find  that  almost  without  exception  the  im- 
portation and  liberation  of  foreign  species  either 
has  proved  unsuccessful  or  has  resulted  in  a 
plague. 

The  breeding  in  captivity  and  restoration  of 
our  native  game  and  bird-life  is  one  of  the  largest 
and  heretofore  almost  untouched  fields  in  the 
work  of  bird  propagation. 


62 


APPENDIX  A 

KEY 

List  of  Abbreviations 

in.  =  inches.  cfl=male 

im.  =  immature  9  =  female 

ad .  =  adult  +  =  hybrid 

L.     All  birds  except  Game  birds,  Raptores,  and  Aquatic 

birds. 

b.     Under  parts  entirely  one  shade  of  color, 
c.     Under  parts  white  or  light  gray, 
d.     Back  brownish. 
e.     Length  over  1 1  in. 
f.     White  spots  on  under  side  of  tail  %  *&•  l°ng — 

Black-billed  Cuckoo, 
ff .     White  spots  on  under  side  of  tail  ^  in.  long — 

Yellow-billed  Cuckoo, 
ee.     Length  under  7  in. 

f.     Crown  rich  chestnut;  back  streaked — Chip- 
ping Sparrow. 

ff.     Crown  rufous-brown  as  back — House  Wren, 
f  ff .     Crown  white  with  two  black  stripes — White- 
crowned  Sparrow. 

ffff.     Crown  brownish-gray — English  Sparrow.  9 
fffff.     Crown  streaked  with  gray  and  brown — 

Brown  Creeper. 

dd.     Back  striped  with  black  and  white. 
e.    Length  over  9  in.;  outer  tail  feathers  without 

black  bars. 

f.    With  scarlet  patch  on  nape—Hairy  Wood- 
pecker, c? 

ff.     Without    scarlet    patch    on    nape — Hairy 
Woodpecker.  9 

63 


APPENDIX  A 

ee.     Length  under  7  in.;  outer  tail  feathers  barred 

with  black. 

f.    Scarlet     patch     on     nape — Downy  Wood- 
pecker, cf 
ff.    Without    scarlet    patch   on    nape — Downy 

Woodpecker.   9 
ddd.     Back  metallic  green. 
e.    Length  of  wing  under  2  in. — Ruby-throated 

Hummingbird.  9 

ee.     Length  of  wing  over  4  in. — Tree  Swallow,  ad. 
dddd.     Back  dark  gray,  pearl-gray  or  blue-gray. 
e.    Wings    with    broad    yellow    bars — Brewsterfs 

Warbler. 
ee.    Wings  with  white  spot  and  patches — Migrant 

Shrike. 
eee.    Wings  without  white  or  yellow  markings. 

f.     Back  bluish-gray;  outer  tail  feathers  white; 

length  4>2  in. — Blue-gray  Gnatcatcher. 
ff.     Back  dark  gray;  white  band  on  end  of  tail; 

length  8^2  in. — Kingbird, 
ddddd.     Back  olive-green. 
e.    Length  6 ^4  in.]  crown  bordered  by  black  lines — 

Red-eyed  Vireo. 
ee.     Length  5  in.;    crown  not  bordered  by  black 

lines — Tennessee  Warbler, 
dddddd.     Back  olive-green,  streaked  with   black — 

Chestnut-sided  Warbler.  9  ad. 
cc.     Under  parts  dark  gray  or  brownish, 
d.     Body  warm  brown — Indigo  Bunting.  9 
dd.     Body  slate-gray;  crown  blackish;  under  tail- 
coverts  rufous — Catbird, 
ddd.     Body  sooty  brown ;  wings  very  long — Chimney 

Swift. 

ccc.    Under  parts  black. 

d.    Back  black  with  two  red  patches  on  wings — Red- 
winged  Blackbird,  cf 
dd.     Back  black  and  white — Bobolink, 
cccc.     Under  parts  olive-green  or  yellowish-green, 
d.     Wings  with  white  markings. 
e.     Length  7  in.  or  over. 

64 


APPENDIX  A 

f.     Breast  dull  orange — Baltimore  Oriole.  9 
ff.     Breast  dull  yellow — Orchard  Oriole,  cf 
ee.     Length  5^  in.  or  under, 
f .     Bill  thick — Goldfinch,  9  and  cf  in  winter, 
ff.     Bill  slender. 
g.     One  white  spot  on  wing — Black-throated 

Blue  Warbler.  9 
gg.     Two  wing-bars, 
h.     Back      distinctly      streaked — Black-poll 

Warbler,  ads.  in  fall,  and  im. 
hh.     Back    without    distinct    streaks — Pint 

Warbler. 

dd.     Wings  with  white  markings, 
e.     Without  white  or  yellow  line  over  eye. 
f.     Wings    black — Scarlet    Tanager.    ad.    cf  in 

winter. 

ff .     Wings  brownish — Scarlet  Tanager.  9 
ee.     White  line  over  eye;  crown  gray; — Tennessee 

Warbler,  cf 

eee.     Yellow  line  over  eye. 

f.     Line   over  eye  paler  and  narrower;   crown 

brownish — Black- throated  Blue  Warbler.  9 

ff.     Line  over  eye  brighter  and   wider;  crown 

greenish — Philadelphia  Vireo. 
ccccc.     Under  parts  crimson,  pink  or  scarlet, 
d.     Breast  brick-red;  no  wing-bars — Crossbill,  cf 
dd.     Breast  scarlet;  no  wing-bars — Scarlet  Tanager. 

cf  in  summer. 

ddd.     Breast   pink;   two   white   wing-bars — White- 
winged  Crossbill,  cf 
dddd.     Breast   rose-red;    two   whitish   wing-bars — 

Purple  Finch,  cf  ad. 
cccccc.     Under  parts  yellow. 

d.     Wings  black;  crown  black — Goldfinch,  ad.  cf  in 

summer. 

dd.     Wings  gray ;  two  white  bars, 
e.     Crown  and  rump  slaty-blue — Perula  Warbler.  9 
ee.     Crown  and  rump  bright  olive-green, 
f.     Crown    and    breast    brighter — Blue- winged 

Warbler,  cf 
s  65 


APPENDIX  A 

ff .     Crown  and  breast  paler — Blue- winged  War- 
bler. 9 
ddd.     Wings    olive-green;    two    white     bars — Pine 

Warbler. 

dddd.     Wings  olive-green;  no  wing-bars. 
e.     With  black  on  head. 
f.     Crown  black;  lores  and  auriculars  yellow — 

Wilson's  Warbler.  <? 
f  f .     Crown  black ;  lores  and  auriculars  and  side  of 

throat  black — Kentucky  Warbler, 
fff.     Crown  greenish,  bordered  by  white;  fore- 
head, lores  and  auriculars  black — Mary- 
land Yellow-throat,  c? 
ee.     Without  black  on  head, 
f.     White    line    over    eye — Maryland    Yellow- 
throat.  9 

ff .     Yellow  line  over  eye. 
g.     Blackish    line    along    crown    and    nape — 

Hooded  Warbler.  9 

gg.     Crown  dark  green,  no  black  border — Wil- 
son's Warbler.  9 

fff.     Without  line  over  eye;  cheeks  gray;  crown 
with  chestnut  patch — Nashville  Warbler, 
ad. 
ffff.     No  line  over  eye;  cheeks  gray;  no  chestnut 

crown — Nashville  Warbler,  im. 
ccccccc.     Under   parts   deep   blue — Indigo    Bunting. 

d1 

bb.     Under  parts  glossy,  appearing  black  at  a  distance. 
c.     With  patches  of  red  on  wing — Red- winged  Black- 
bird, c? 

cc.     Without  patches  of  red  on  wings, 
d.     Length  15  in.  or  over;  tail  short;  body  thick. 
e.     Length   15   in. — Fish  Crow;    call  flatter  and 

more  nasal, 
ee.     Length  19  in. — Crow.    Call  less  flat  and  less 

nasal. 

dd.     Length  13  in.;  tail  long;  body  slender. 
e.     Breast,  crown  and  nape,  reddish-blue — Bronze 
Grackle. 

66 


APPENDIX  A 

ee.     Breast,     crown    and    nape    greenish-blue- — 

Purple  Crackle, 
ddd.     Length  9  in.  or  under. 
e.     Tail  deeply  v-shaped  at  end;  wings  extremely 

long;  bill  small — Purple  Martin,  cf 
ee.     Tail  square  at  end;  wings  normal  length;  bill 

rather  large. 
L     Bill  yellow;  feathers  at  breast  tipped  with 

buffy — Starling. 

ff.     Bill  blackish,  feathers  tipped  with  buffy. 
g.     Head  brown;   very  distinct  from   body — 

Cowbird. 
gg.     Entire  body    glossy    bluish-black — Rusty 

Blackbird,     cf  in  summer, 
fff.     Bill    blackish    buffy,    and    rufous    tips    to 

feathers — Rusty  Blackbird  in  winter, 
bbb.     Under  parts  the  same  general  color,  but  varying 

in  shade. 

c.     Upper  parts,  except  wings,  unstreaked. 
d.     Back  brown  or  olive-brown, 
e.     Wings  long;  breast  gray;  length  of  wings  4,^4 

in. — Rough-winged  Swallow, 
ee.     Breast  gray  with  yellow  tinge — length  of  wing 

2*4  in. — Alder  Flycatcher, 
dd.     Back  green  or  olive-green, 
e.     With  conspicuous  white  or  buffy  wing-bars, 
f.     White  eye-ring, 
g.     Throat  pure  white, 
h.     Top  and  sides  of  head  gray — Blue-headed 

Vireo. 

hh.     Top  and  sides  of  head  greenish, 
i.     Length  6>£  in. — Wood  Pewee. 
ii.     Length  6  in.  or  under, 
j.     Very    little    yellow    on    under    parts, 
smaller,  and  lower  mandible  brown — 
Least  Flycatcher. 

jj.     More  yellow  below,  larger,  bill  light, 
k.     With   a  brownish   wash  on   back — 
Alder  Flycatcher. 

67 


APPENDIX  A 

kk.     Without  a  brownish  wash  on  back — 

Acadian  Flycatcher. 
gg.     Throat     sulphur     yellow — Yellow-bellied 

Flycatcher. 

ggg.     Throat  soiled  white,  washed  with  buffy. 
i.     Ruby  patch  on  crown — Ruby-Crowned 

Kinglet,  c?1 
ii.     Entire  crown  greenish — Ruby-crowned 

Kinglet.   9  im. 

f f .  Without  eye-ring ;  line  over  eye  white ;  center 
of  crown  yellow,  c?  also  has  orange — 
Golden-crowned  Kinglet. 

fff.     With  yellow  eye-ring — White-eyed  Vireo. 
ee.     Wing-bars  inconspicuous, 
f.     Crown   olive-green;    white   line   over   eye — 

Tennessee  Warbler.   9 
ff.     Crown  blackish;  no  white  line  over  eye — 

Phcebe. 

eee.     No  wing-bars;  one  white  dot  on  wing — Blue- 
winged  Warbler.  9 
eeee.     No  white  in  wings. 
f .     Throat  white — Warbling  Vireo. 
ff.     Throat    grayish-brown — Connecticut    War- 
bler. 9 

fff.     Throat  yellow, 
g.     Brighter  forehead  and  patch  around  eye 

black — Maryland  Yellow- throat,  c? 
gg.     Duller,   no  black  on  forehead  or  lore — 

Maryland  Yellow-throat.  9 
ddd.     Back  bluish-gray. 
e.     Length  9  in. — Migrant  Shrike, 
ee.     Length  under  6  in. — Brewster's  Warbler, 
dddd.     Back  dark  blue. 
e.     Throat  rich  chestnut — Barn  Swallow, 
ee.     Throat  grayish — Purple  Martin. 
cc.     Upper  parts  streaked  or  spotted  entirely  or  in 

some  places. 

d.     Length  13  in. — Mourning  Dove, 
dd.     Length  6  in.  or  under, 
e.     With  pink  bill— Field  Sparrow. 
68 


APPENDIX  A 

ee.     With  short,  thick,  black  bill, 
f.     Crown  chestnut;  lores  gray;  no  wing-bars; 

larger. 

ff.  Crown  black  with  cream  buff  line  through 
center;  lores  dull  orange;  smaller — Grass- 
hopper Sparrow. 

fff.     Crown  with  brown  stripes;  white  wing-bars; 
lores   yellowish;   larger; — White-throated 
Sparrow.     9  and  im. 
eee.     Bill  slender  and  dark  colored, 
f.     Crown    olive-green;    sides    brownish — Bay- 
breasted  Warbler.   9 

ff.     Crown  reddish-brown — Carolina  Wren, 
fff.     Crown  blackish-brown — Long-billed  Marsh 

Wren. 

ffff.     Crown  white  streaked  with  brown — Short- 
billed  Marsh  Wren, 
fffff.     Crown     olive-green;     sides     olivaceous — 

Black-poll  Warbler. 

bbbb.     Under  part  with  spots,  streaks  or  narrow  bars. 
c.     Throat  buffy  without  streaks, 
d.     Length  7^  in. — Bobolink,  9  and  cf  in  winter, 
dd.     Length  4  in. — Winter  Wren, 
cc.     Throat  dark  gray — Cowbird.   9 
ccc.     Throat  whitish,  streaked  with  black  or  brownish, 
d.     Back  streaked;  under  parts  streaked  with  black. 
e.     Bill    not   thick;   length   .88    in. — Red- winged 

Blackbird.  9 
ee.     Bill    thick;    length    .69    in. — -Rose-breasted 

Grosbeak.  9 

eee.     Bill  thick;  length  .45  in.  or  under, 
f.     Band  of  cream  buff  across  breast — Lincoln's 

Sparrow. 

ff.     No  band  across  breast. 
g.     Two    white    outer    tail    feathers — Vesper 

Sparrow. 
gg.     Patches  of  yellow  at  base  of  tail,  also  in 

wing — Pine  Siskin. 
ggg.     No  yellow  or  white  on  tail, 
h.     Tail  forked;  no  large  dot  in  center  of 

69 


APPENDIX  A 

breast  or  large  marks  on'side  of  throat — 
Purple  Finch.   9 

hh.  Tail  not  forked;  large  dot  in  center  of 
breast;  large  marks  on  side  of  throat — 
Song  Sparrow. 

eeee.     Bill  slender;  length  .37  in.  or  under, 
f .     Crown  green — Black-throated  Green  Warbler. 

9 

ff .     Crown  black  and  white  striped, 
g.     Large  black  ear  patch — Black  and  White 

Warbler,  c? 
gg.     Without  large  black  ear  patch — Black  and 

White  Warbler.   9 

fff.     Crown  black— Black-poll  Warbler,  of 
dd.     Back    streaked;    under    parts    streaked    with 

rufous, 
ddd.     Back  unstreaked. 

e.     Cheeks  yellow — Black-throated  Green  Warbler. 

9  or  im. 

ee.     Cheeks  not  yellow, 
f.     Crown  with  orange  stripes — Ovenbird. 
ff.     Crown  without  orange  stripes. 
g.     Under  parts  distinctly  tinged  with  sulphur 
yellow;  line  of  same  color  over  eye;  length 
6  in.— Water  Thrush. 
gg.     Under  parts  without  sulphur  yellow;  no 

line  over  eye;  length  6J4  to  7>£  in. 
h.     Crown  and  back  dark  olive-brown;  breast 
heavily   spotted;   tail   bright   rufous — 
Hermit  Thrush. 

hh.     Entire  upper  parts  rich  but  not  bright 
cinnamon-brown;        breast        faintly 
spotted — Veery. 
hhh.     Entire  upper  parts  olive-brown;  breast 

heavily  spotted." 
i.     Cheeks  grayish. 
j.     Larger     and     darker — Gray-cheeked 

Thrush. 

jj.     Smaller     and      brighter — Bicknell's 
Thrush. 
70 


APPENDIX  A 

ii.     Cheeks      creamy-buff  —  Olive-backed 

Thrush. 
cccc.     Throat  dull  orange ;  with  or  without  black  spots 

— Baltimore  Oriole.   9 

ccccc.     Throat  olive-green,  or  yellowish-gray  olive, 
d.     Bill  crossed. 

e.     With  white   wing-bars — White-winged   Cross- 
bill. 9 

ee.     Without  white  wing-bars — Crossbill.  9 
dd.     Bill  not  crossed — Black-poll  Warbler,    ads.  in 

fall  or  im. 

cccccc.     Throat  whitish. 

d.     Crown  grayish  with  two  brown  stripes — White- 
throated  Sparrow.   9 
dd.     Crown  black — Black-poll  Warbler,    cf  in  spring 

and  summer, 
ddd.     Crown    brown    with    two    orange    stripes. — 

Ovenbird. 

dddd.     Crown  olive-green,  olive-brown  or  fuscous. 
e.     White  in  wings. 
f .     Center  of  throat  and  center  of  breast  whitish — 

Olive-sided  Flycatcher. 

ff.  Entire  under  part  even  olive-greenish  yellow 
— Black-poll  Warbler,  im.  and  ads.  in 
fall. 

ee.    Without  white  in  wings. 
f.    With  distinct  white  line  over  eye— Louisiana 

Water  Thrush. 
ff.     No  white  line  over  eye. 
g.    Tail  the  same  color  as  rest  of  upper  parts. 
h.     Cheeks  grayish. 

i.     Larger;  darker — Gray-cheeked  Thrush. 
ii.    Smaller,  brighter — Bicknell's  Thrush. 
hh.    Cheeks        creamy-buff  —  Olive-backed 

Thrush. 
gg.     Tail  rufous,  much  brighter  than  back — 

Hermit  Thrush. 

ddddd.     Crown  cinnamon-brown,  the  same  color  as 
rest  of  upper  parts. 


APPENDIX  A 

9.     Under   parts   heavily   streaked   with   black — 

Brown  Thrasher. 

ee.     Under  parts  not  heavily  streaked  with  black. 
f.     Length  7^  in.;  breast  faintly  striped  with 

brown — Veery. 

ff.  Length  5  in.,  under  tail-coverts  and  (usually) 
sides  and  flanks  barred  with  black — House 
Wren. 

dddddd.     Crown  bright  cinnamon,  differing  from  the 
darker    lower    back    and    tail — Wood 
Thrush. 
ccccccc.    Throat  brownish-gray  tipped  with  whitish — 

Purple  Martin.  9 
cccccccc.    Throat  yellow. 
d.    Without  streaks  on  throat. 
e.     White  in  wings. 

f .     End  third  of  tail  on  under  side  black. 
g.     Duller — Magnolia  Warbler.  9 
gg.     Brighter — Magnolia  Warbler,  c? 
ff.     End  third  of  tail  on  under  side  not  black; 

cheeks  not  yellow. 
g.     Center  of  crown  yellow  or  orange — Black- 

burnian  Warbler.   9 

gg.     Center  of  crown  not  yellow — Pine  Warbler, 
fff.     End  third  of  tail  not  white  on  under  side, 
cheeks,     yellow — Black-throated     Green 
Warbler.  9 

•e.     No  white  on  wings. 
f.    Tail  with  yellow  patches;  under  part  marked 

with  rufous. 
g.     Breast  and  sides  with  rufous  markings,— 

Yellow  Warbler, 
gg.     Breast  and  sides  without  ruf9us  markings 

— Yellow  Warbler.     9  sometimes. 
ff.     Tail  without  yellow  patches,   tinder  parts 

streaked  with  black. 
g.    With  necklace  of  black  spots  across  breast — 

Canada  Warbler,  c? 

gg.    With    necklace    of    dusky    spots    across 
breast — Canada  Warbler.  9 

72 


APPENDIX  A 

ggg.     Without  necklace  across  breast, 
h.     Chestnut    in    middle    of    back — Prairie 

Warbler,     ad. 
hh.     No  chestnut  in  back — Prairie  Warbler. 

9  sometimes. 

dd.     With  black  streaks  on  throat. 
e.    Auriculars      yellow — Black-throated      Green 

Warbler.   9 

ee.     Auriculars  rufous,  surrounded  on  the  front, 
back,  and  below  by  yellow;  crown  black — 
Cape  May  Warbler,  cf 
eee.    Auriculars  neither  rufous  nor  yellow. 
f .     Rump  pale  yellow — Cape  May  Warbler, 
ff.     Rump  not  pale  yellow. 
g.     Paler,  no  chestnut  on  back — Prairie  Warbler. 

9  sometimes. 
gg.     Brighter,  chestnut  spots  on  back — Prairie 

Warbler,     ad. 
ddd.    With    chestnut-rufous   streaks   or   spots   on 

throat. 

e.     Yellow  in  tail,  chestnut  cap — Yellow  Warbler, 
ee.     No  yellow  in  tail,  chestnut  cap. 
f.     Entire    under    parts    bright    rich    yellow — 

Yellow  Palm  Warbler. 

ff.     Throat  and  breast  yellow,  belly  yellowish- 
white — Palm  Warbler, 
ccccccccc.     Throat  sulphur  yellow,  streaked  with  black 

—Water  Thrush. 

cccccccccc.  Center  of  throat  white,  sides  of  throat  oliv« 
with  darker  shaft-streak — Olive-sided 
Flycatcher. 

bbbbb.     Under  parts  cut  or  patched  into  two  or  more 
colors,  or  with  a  single  blotch  (without  streaks 
or  narrow  bars). 
c.     Throat  white. 
d.     With  black  on  breast. 
e.    A  small  black  blotch  in  center  of  breast — Tree 

Sparrow. 

ee.     Large  black  patch  on  breast, 
f.     Crown  and  back  blue,  crested — Blue  Jay. 

73 


APPENDIX  A 

ff .     Crown  red,  back  black  and  white — Yellow- 
bellied  Sapsucker.   9 
dd.     Without  black  on  breast. 
e.     Breast  white  or  light  gray. 

f .  Grayish  on  back,  unstrealked. 

g.     Yellow  on  sides  and  in  wings  and  tail — 

Redstart.   9 

gg.     No  yellow  on  sides,  wings  or  tail, 
h.     Crown  entirely  black  or  entirely  gray,  not 

crested — White-breasted  Nuthatch. 
hh.     Rear  portion  of  crown  gray,  black  on  fore- 
head— Crested  Titmouse, 
ff.     Back  streaked. 

g.  Chestnut  on  sides. 

h.     Less   chestnut — Chestnut-sided  Warbler. 

cT 
hh.    More  chestnut — Chestnut-sided  Warbler. 

9 

gg.     No    chestnut    on    sides — White-throated 

Sparrow,  cf 
ee.     Breast     with    grayish-brown     band    across 

length  $yi  in. — Bank  Swallow, 
eee.     Breast  with  bluish  band  across;  length  13  in. 
f.     Band  on  belly  rufous,  same  on  sides — Belted 

Kingfisher.  9 
ff.     No  band  of  rufous  on  belly,  sides  bluish — 

Belted  Kingfisher,  c? 
eeee.     Breast  chestnut. 

f.     Crown  black— Red-breasted  Nuthatch,  cf 
ff.     Crown  grayish — Red-breasted  Nuthatch.  9 
cc.     Throat  red. 
d.     Back    green,    length    3^    in. — Ruby-throated 

Hummingbird,  cf 

dd.     Back  not  green;  length  8^2  in.  or  over. 
e.     Entire  head  red,  belly  white,  upper  back  black, 
lower  back  and  rump  white,   tail  black — 
Red-headed  Woodpecker,     ad. 
ee.     Entire   headj   not    red,   belly    yellow,   back 
streaked  black  and  white — Yellow-bellied 
Sapsucker.  d71 

74 


APPENDIX  A 

ccc.     Throat  ashy-gray — Crested  Flycatcher, 
cccc.     Throat  yellow. 

d.     Conspicuous  ear  tufts;  black  patch  on  throat. 
e.     Forehead  and  line  over  eye  yellow — Horned 

Lark, 
ee.     Forehead  and  line  over  eye  white — Prairie 

Horned  Lark. 

dd.     No  ear  tufts,  band  of  black,  bluish  black  or 
rufous     across      breast — Northern     Parula 
Warbler, 
ddd.     No  ear  tufts;  throat  and  breast  bright  yellow, 

paling  to  white  on  belly. 
e.     White  line  over  eye;  no  wing-bars;  length  7^ 

in. — Yellow-breasted  Chat. 

ee.     Yellow  line  over  and  around  eye;  white  wing- 
bars;  length  6  in. — Yellow-throated  Vireo. 
eee.     No  line  over  eye;  white  wing -bars;  length 
4^   in. — Northern   Parula   Warbler.      9 
sometimes. 

ccccc.     Throat  brown. 
-    d.     Belly  white  in  center,  rufous  on  sides — Towhee.  9 

dd.     Belly  blackish— Cowbird.  cf 
cccccc.     Throat  black, 
d.     Lower  breast  and  belly  yellow,  orange  or  greenish 

yellow. 
e.     Entire  head  black,   breast  and  rump  bright 

orange — Baltimore  Oriole,  cf 
ee.     Broad    line    thru    eye    black;    entire    crown 

yellowish — Lawrence's  Warbler, 
eee.     Crown  except  forehead  black,  forehead  and 

cheeks  yellow — Hooded  Warbler,  cf 
eeee.     Crown  greenish,  cheeks  yellowish — Orchard 

Oriole,     im.  cf  2d  summer, 
dd.     Center  of  lower  breast  and  belly  white  or  light 

grayish-white. 

e.     Crown  yellow — Golden-winged  Warbler. 
ee.     Crown  dark  bluish-gray — Black-throated  Blue 

Warbler,  cf 

eee.     Crown    brownish -gray,     cheeks    chestnut- 
English  Sparrow,  cf 

75 


APPENDIX  A 

eeee.     Crown  black, 
f .     Upper  breast  and  lining  of  wings  rose-color — 

Rose-breasted  Grosbeak,  cf 
ff.     Basal  two  thirds  of  outer  tail  feathers  and 

lining  of  wings  salmon — Redstart,  cf 
fff.     Entire  head  black;  sides  chestnut — Towhee. 

d1 

ffff.     Cheeks  white— Chickadee, 
ddd.     No  white  or  yellow  on  breast. 
e.     Under  parts  except  throat  red — Cardinal,  c?1 
ee.     Under  parts  except  throat  green — Cardinal.  9 
eee.     Under  parts  except  throat  and  breast  chest- 
nut— Orchard  Oriole,    ad.  cf 
ccccccc.     Throat  chestnut. 

d.     Back  brownish-ashy;  two  white  wing-bars — Bay- 
breasted  Warbler,  c? 

dd.     Back,  crown  and  tail  dark  metallic  blue;  rump, 
nape  and  forehead  bright  chestnut;  no  white 
in  wings — Cliff  Swallow, 
ddd.     Entire  upper  part  rich,  bright  blue — Bluebird. 

d1 

dddd.     Upper  part  blue  mixed  with  grayish — Blue- 
bird. 9 

cccccccc.     Chin  black,  lower  throat  and  rest  of  under 
parts  soft  brown,  crested,  yellow  band  on 
end  of  tail — Cedar  Waxwing. 
ccccccccc.    Throat  blue-gray, 
d.     No  eye-ring;  gray  on  breast  mixed  with  black — 

Mourning  Warbler,  cf 
dd.     No  eye-ring;  no  black  mixed  with  gray  on 

breast — Mourning  Warbler.  9 
ddd.    White  eye-ring,  no  black  mixed  with  gray  on 

breast — Connecticut  Warbler,  cf 
cccccccccc.    Throat  buffy — Bay-breasted  Warbler.  9 
bbbbbb.    Under  parts  cut  or  patched  into  two  or  more 

colors,  with  spots  or  small  streaks. 
c.     Wing  with  white  stripe,  rump  black  and  white-— 

Yellow-bellied  Sapsucker.    im.  cf 
cc.     No  white  in  wing,  rump  white — Northern  Flicker. 
ccc.     White  wing-bars,  rump  yellow. 

76 


APPENDIX  A 

d.     Back  brownish — -Myrtle  Warbler.  9 
dd.     Back  black— Myrtle  Warbler,  cf 
cccc.     No  white  on  wings  or  rump, 
d.     Breast  and  belly  chestnut. 
e.     Brighter — Robin,  cf 
ee.     Paler— Robin.   9 
dd.     Breast  and  belly  yellow  with  black  crescent  on 

breast — Meadowlark. 

ddd.     Breast  and  belly  mottled  with  ochraceous-buff 
and  blackish;  a  narrow  white  band  across  the 
upper  breast — Whippoorwill. 
ccccc.     White  wing-bars ;  no  white  on  rump, 
d.     Length  10  in. — Nighthawk. 
dd.     Length  5 1/±  in.  or  under. 
e.     Throat,  upper  breast  and  sides  pure  black — 

Black-throated  Green  Warbler,  cf1 
ee.     Breast    and     sides    mottled    black — Black- 
throated  Green  Warbler.   9 
eee.     Throat    and    upper   breast   orange — Black- 

burnian  Warbler,  d71 
eeee.     Throat  and  upper  breast  rosy,  chin  black, 

crown  red — Red-poll,  cf1 
eeeee.     Throat  and  upper  breast  white,  chin  black, 

crown  red — Red-poll.   9 
cccccc.     White  dot  on  wing,  rump  greenish-olive — 

Black-throated  Blue  Warbler.    9 
aa.     Hawks,  Owls,  Vultures,  Eagles, 
b.     Hawks,  Vultures,  Eagles, 
c.     Entire  body  except  head  and  feet  black, 
d.     Head  red,  naked — Turkey  Vulture,  ad. 
dd.     Head  black,  naked — Black  Vulture, 
ddd.     Head  blackish,   feathered — Turkey  Vulture. 

im. 
cc.     Body  brown,  head  and  tail  white,  length  34  in* — 

Bald  Eagle,    im. 
ccc.     Entire  body  dark  brown;  length  34  in. — Bald 

Eagle,    im. 
cccc.     Body  black  and  orange  brown;  length  10  in. — 

Sparrow  Hawk, 
ccccc.     Body  not  entirely  brown,  black  or  orange. 

77 


APPENDIX  A 

d.     Under  parts  unmarked  white — Osprey. 
dd.     Under  parts  marked. 
e.     Upper  parts  slate  gray;   under  parts   white, 

without  rufous  markings. 

f.     Throat  and  upper  breast  immaculate  white; 
belly  streaked  and  barred  with  black ;  under 
part  of  tail  dark  gray — Duck  Hawk, 
ff .     Throat,  breast  and  belly  streaked  and  barred 
with  blackish;  under  part  of  tail  light  gray 
— Goshawk. 

ee.     Upper   parts   light   pearl-gray;   under   parts 
whitish  with  a  few  rufous  markings;  rump 
white — Marsh  Hawk,  cf 
eee.     Upper  parts  slate;  under  parts  marked  with 

rufous. 
f.     Under    parts     without     cross-bars — Pigeon 

Hawk. 

ff.     Under  parts  with  rufous  cross-bars. 
g.     Tail  square  at  end;  length  16  in. — Sharp- 
shinned  Hawk, 
gg.     Tail  decidedly  rounded  at  end;  length  17 

in. — Cooper's  Hawk, 
ceee.     Back  fuscous, 
f.     Rump  white — Marsh  Hawk.  9 
ff.     Rump  not  white. 

g.  Shoulders  rich  rufous;  under  parts  heavily 
marked  with  same;  length  19  in. — Red- 
shouldered  Hawk. 

gg.  Shoulders  not  as  highly  colored;  length 
1 6  in. ;  back  browner;  primaries  unbarred, 
tarsi  scales  distinct — Broad-winged 
Hawk. 

ggg.     Shoulders   not  as  highly  colored;  back 
grayer;  primaries  barred;    tarsi  scales 
distinct;    cap  blacker;  length  of  wing 
over  9  in. — Cooper's  Hawk, 
gggg.     Shoulders  not  as  highly  colored;  back 
grayer;  primaries  barred;    tarsi  scales 
indistinct;  cap  grayer;  length  of  wing 
under  9  in. — Sharp-shinned  Hawk. 

78 


APPENDIX  A 

ggggg.     Breast    whitish;    belly    with    blackish 

band — Rough-legged  Hawk, 
gggggg.     Breast  gray  and  buffy;  upper  side  of 
tail  bright  rufous;  length  21  in. — 
Red-tailed  Hawk, 
bb.     Owls, 
c.     With  ear  tufts. 

d.     Length  under  10  in.— Screech  Owl. 
dd.     Length  over  10  in. 

e.     Under  parts  with  cross-bars;  ear  tufts  conspicu- 
ous. 

f.     Length  over  20  in. — Great  Horned  Owl. 
ff.     Length  over  20  in. — Long-eared  Owl. 
ee.     Under  parts  without  cross-bars;  ear  tufts  in- 
conspicuous— Short-eared  Owl. 
cc.    Without  ear  tufts. 

d.     Length  under  10  in. — Acadian  Owl. 
dd.     Length  over  15  in. 
e.     Entirely  white,  with  black  or  brown  markings 

— Snowy  Owl. 

ee.     Upper  part  rich  buffy-ruf ous ;  breast  creamy- 
buff  with  a  few  spots — Barn  Owl. 
eee.     Upper  parts  grayish   brown;  breast  heavily 
marked  with  cross-bars;  belly  streaked — 
Barred  Owl. 

aaa.     Aquatic  and  Game  Birds, 
b.    Under  parts  uniform  white,  grayish-white  or  buffy- 

white. 

c.     Entire  head  pure  white, 
d.    Back  black;  length  30  in. — Great  Black-backed 

Gull. 

dd.    Back  pearl  gray. 
e.     Length  24  in. — Herring  Gull, 
ee.     Length  19  in. — Ring-billed  Gull, 
cc.     Head  not  entirely  white. 
d.     Crown  black— Black-crowned  Night  Heron, 
dd.     Crown  not  black. 

e.     Bill  long  and  bright  yellow — Least  Bittern, 
ee.     Bill  dark  and  length  3  in. — Loon, 
eee.     Bill  dark  and  under  I  in. 

79 


APPENDIX  A 

f .     With  brownish  wash  below — Pied-billed  Grebe 

in  winter, 
ff.     Without     brownish     wash    .below — Horned 

Grebe,  in  winter. 
bb.    Under  parts  with  uniform  field  but  streaked,  spotted 

or  barred. 

c.     Tail  over  12  in.  and  pointed — Common  Pheasant. 
cc.     Tail  7.5  in.,  rounded  and  wide  at  end' — Ruffed 

Grouse. 

ccc.     Tail  under  5  in. 

d.     Legs  long,  unwebbed  and  bright  yellow. 
e.     Length  14  in. — Greater  Yellow-legs, 
ee.     Length  10.8  in. — Yellow-legs, 
dd.     Legs  not  bright  yellow,  or  if  so  unwebbed  or 

short. 
e.     Bill  wide,  legs  short,  feet  webbed  and  flight 

rapid. 

f.     Length  under  16  in. 
g.     Lesser  wing-coverts  blue — Blue-winged  Teal. 

9 
gg.     Lesser    wing-coverts  gray — Green-winged 

Teal.  9 

ff.     Length  20  in.  or  over, 
g.     Bill    2.5    in. — greatest    width    at    end — 

Shoveller. 
gg.     Bill  2  in. 
h.     Belly    not    conspicuously    streaked    or 

spotted — Pintail.   9 

hh.     Underparts  conspicuously  streaked. 
i.     White     in     wing-coverts     noticeable — 

Mallard.  9 
ii.    White  not  noticeable  in  wing-coverts<— 

Black  Duck. 
ee.     Bill  narrow,  legs  short,  feet  webbed,  flight 

slow  with  sailing.        % 

f .     Length  30  in.— Great  Black-backed  Gull.    im. 
ff .     Length  24  in. — Herring  Gull.    im. 
fff.     Length  19  in. — Ring-billed  Gull.    im. 
eee.     Bill  long  and  slender,  legs  long,  feet  unwebbed, 
length  28  in. — Bittern. 
80 


APPENDIX  A 

eeee.     Bill  long  and  slender,  legs  long,  feet  un- 

webbed;  length  under  15  in. 
f .     Bill  over  2  in. 

g.     Tail  barred  with  black — Dowitcher. 
gg.     Tail  black  with  rufous  tip — Wilson's  Snipe, 
ff.     Bill  under  1.5  in. 
g.     Tail  with  cross-bars,  bill  over  0.9  in. 
h.     Length  12  in. — Upland  Plover, 
hh.     Length  under  9  in. 
i.     Above,     spotted     with    white;     below, 
spotted  with  black —    Spotted  Sand- 
piper. 
ii.     Above,  barred  and  below,  streaked  with, 

black — Solitary  Sandpiper. 
gg.     Tail  without  cross-bars, 
h.     Toes,  4  unwebbed — Least  Sandpiper, 
hh.     Toes,  4  partly  webbed— Semipalmated 

Sandpiper. 

hhh.     Toes,  3 — Sanderling. 
bbb.     Underparts   not   of   uniform   field   but   varying 

distinctly,  either  patched  or  shading. 
c.     Feathers  of  entire  head,  excepting  neck,  of  one 

color. 

d.     Head  bright  reddish-brown. 
e.     Line  from  crown  to  tip  of  bill  almost  straight — 

Canvas  Back,  cf 

ee.     Line  from  crown  to  tip  of  bill  decidedly  in- 
dented at  base — Redhead,  cf 
dd.     Head  brown  or  grayish,  not  sharply  contrasted 

to  rest  of  body. 

e.     Slightly  crested — Red-breasted  Merganser. 
ee.     Not  crested, 
f.     Line  from  crown  to  tip  of  bill  nearly  straight 

— Canvas  Back.   9 

ff.     Line  from  crown  to  tip  of  bill  decidedly  in- 
dented at  base  of  bill — Redhead.   9 
ddd.     Head  dark  green. 

e.     Lower  breast  and  belly  unstreaked  white, 
f.     Wing  largely  white;  breast  white — Mergan- 
ser. d71 
6  81 


APPENDIX  A 

ff.     Wing  not  largely  white;  breast  dark  green, 
g.     Larger — Greater  Scaup  Duck,  cf1 
gg.     Smaller — Lesser  Scaup  Duck,  c? 
ee.     Lower  breast  and  belly  not  white. 
f.     Tail  over  10  in. — Common  Pheasant.  cJ1 
ff.     Tail  under  5  in. 

g.    Breast  white,  belly  chestnut — Shoveller,  c? 
gg.     Breast  and  belly  white,  the  breast  with  a 
band  of  rufous  streaks;  crested — Red- 
breasted  Merganser,  c? 
ggg.     Dark  brownish  below — Mallard,  c? 
dddd.     Head  cinnamon-brown. 
e.     Bill  2  in.    Tail  7.5  in.;  pointed— Pintail,  c? 
ee.     Bill  1.3  in.    Tail  short — Golden-eye.  9 
ddddd.     Head  deep  slate  color  or  black. 
e.     Back  black  with  white  spots — Loon,  in  summer, 
ee.    Back  pearl  gray, 
f.     Outer     primary     largely     black — Laughing 

Gull, 
ff.     Outer  primary  largely  white — Bonaparte's 

Gull. 

cc.     Head  not  entirely  one  color, 
d.     Throat  chestnut  or  reddish-brown. 
e.     Crown  of  same  color  as  throat ;  auriculars  green ; 

length  14  in. — Green- winged  Teal,  c? 
ee.     Crown    gray;    length    25    in. — Red- throated 

Loon,  in  summer, 
dd.     Throat  black. 
e.    Conspicuous    crest,    largely    white — Hooded 

Merganser,  cf 
ee.    No  crest. 

f.    Belly  with  distinct  black  bars — Sora  Rail, 
ff.     Belly  without  distinct  black  bars, 
g.     Upper  tail-coverts  white — Brant. 
gg.    Upper    tail-coverts    not    white — Horned 

Grebe. 

ddd.    Throat  unspotted  white. 
e.     Crested. 

f .    Length  over  40  in. — Great  Blue  Heron, 
ff.     Length  under  30  in. 
82 


APPENDIX  A 

g.     Crown  greenish, 
h.     Legs  and  bill  long;  neck  chestnut;  belly 

gray;  wader — Green  Heron, 
hh.     Legs  and  bill  short ;  belly  white ;  swimmer 

—Wood  Duck, 
gg.     Crown  brownish, 
h.     Length  25  in. — Merganser.  9 
hh.     Length  1 8  in. — Hooded  Merganser.  9 
ee.     Not  crested, 
f.     Breast  brown;  belly  clear  white — Old  Squaw, 

in  winter, 
ff.     Under  parts  white  with  one  or  two  black 

bands  on  breast, 
g.     Breast  crossed  by  a  single  black  band — 

Wilson's  Plover, 
gg.     Breast  crossed  by  two  black  bands;  rump 

rufous — Killdeer. 
fff.     Belly  not  clear  white. 
g.     White    throat     sharply    defined,     slightly 

crested;  bill  short, 
h.     Feet  unwebbed— Bob  White, 
hh.     Feet  webbed — Canada  Goose, 
gg.     White  throat,  not  sharply  denned, 
h.     Breast  cinnamon  or  rufous;  bill  long  and 

thin. 

i.     Length  15  in. — King  Rail, 
ii.     Length  9.5  in. — Virginia  Rail, 
hh.     Under  parts  ochraceous-buff;   bill  short 

and  thick — Yellow  Rail, 
hhh.     Breast  and  back  light  gray;  bill  long 

and  slender — Clapper  Rail, 
dddd.     Throat  spotted  or  streaked. 
e.     Toes  webbed;  bill  thick— Bald-pate, 
ee.     Toes  unwebbed;  bill  slender — Sanderling. 
ddddd. 

e.     Bill  slender ;  toes  unwebbed — Purple  Sandpiper, 
ee.     Bill  thick;  toes  unwebbed — Blue- winged  Teal, 
dddddd. 

e.     Larger — Greater  Scaup  Duck.  9 
ee.     Smaller — Lesser  Scaup  Duck.   9 

83 


APPENDIX  A 

ddddddd. 

e.     Large  part  of  crown  white — Ruffle-head, 
ee.     White  on  crown;  white  lores — Golden-eye.  cT 
bbbb.     Under  parts  of  a  uniform  color  (other  than  black), 
c.     Under  parts  rufous  or  reddish-brown, 
d.     Bill  1.3  in.— Knot. 
dd.     Bill  2.9  in. — Woodcock, 
cc.     Under  parts  dark  brownish, 
d.     Upper    and  under  tail-coverts  white — Wilson's 

Petrel. 

dd.     Upper  and  under  tail-coverts  not  white. 
e.     White  in  wing — White-winged  Scoter.   9 
ee.     No  white  in  wing. 
f.     White  patch  on  ears  and  before  eyes — Surf 

Scoter. 

ff .     No  white  on  head — Scoter.   9 
ccc.     Under  parts  black  or  slate  color, 
d.     Bill  white— Coot, 
dd.     Bill  white,  black  and  orange;  white  nape  and 

forehead — Surf  Scoter,  c? 
ddd.     Bill  orange  and  black;  no  white  on  head — 

Scoter,  c? 
dddd.     Bill  orange  and  yellow  and  black  around  eye 

and  on  wing — White-winged  Scoter,  c? 
ddddd.     Bill  red ;  back  brown — Florida  Gallinule. 


APPENDIX   B 

GLOSSARY 

The  following  is  intended  to  identify,  for  the  beginner,  a 
few  of  the  most  common  ornithological  terms  and  abbrevia- 
tions which  he  will  encounter. 

1 .  •    Abbreviations : 

C?   =  sign  of  the  male. 

9    =     "     "     "    female. 

im.   =  immature,  which  is  accepted  to  mean  the 

young  birds  of  the  same  year, 
-f-  =  sign  of  a  hybrid. 
ad.  =  adult. 

2.  Parts  of  the  bird: 

Auriculars  =    back  and  below  eye,  commonly  called 

cheeks. 

Belly  =  lower  part  of  the  under  parts. 
Breast  =  forward  part  of  the  under  parts. 
Crown  =  upper  part  of  head. 
Lores  =    between  eye  and  bill. 
Mandible  =  division  of  the  bill. 
Primaries  =  outer  wing  feathers. 
Rump  =  lower  part  of  back. 
Tarsus  =  lower  part  of  leg. 
Tibia  =  upper  part  of  leg. 

Under  tail-coverts  —  feathers  under  base  of  tail. 
Upper  tail-coverts  =  lower  edge  of  rump. 
Wing-coverts  =  feathers  nearer  inside  of  wing. 


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